Residents urged to sign up for SNAP

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This article was published 19/12/2024 (273 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Police Service (BPS) is encouraging city residents to sign up for a voluntary program aimed at bolstering community safety in a bid to foster more collaborative policing practices in the Wheat City.

Originally launched in 2021, the Safer Neighbourhoods and Policing (SNAP) initiative has seen 135 city residents sign up so far by voluntarily registering their doorbell and outdoor security cameras with the police service, BPS confirmed to the Sun on Tuesday.

This allows BPS to use video footage from these cameras in the event of an incident in that neighbourhood.

“The SNAP program strengthens community safety by allowing residents to voluntarily register their security cameras, helping us gather critical footage when required. Participation is entirely optional, and no footage is accessed without consent. Together, we can enhance safety in Brandon,” BPS acting deputy chief Greg Hebert was quoted as saying in an email sent to the Sun from the BPS media relations team.

On Wednesday, BPS provided no further information about the results of the program since its launch.

However, in an interview with the Sun last month, BPS media relations officer Janet Reichart reiterated the usefulness of the program and said the service is looking to grow participation in the program.

“When crimes like theft, vandalism or other illegal activities occur, the footage captured by neighbourhood cameras can provide crucial evidence,” said Reichert. “This helps reduce the burden on police resources and allows for more effective use of manpower.”

Even as Brandon police seeks more signups for the program, Reichert said it is important to understand that the police are creating a map of people they can go to and ask for footage — not compiling a list of cameras they can tune into.

At the same time, residents signing up can also withdraw their consent from the program at any time or refuse to share footage when asked.

“Signing up for a camera registry does not give the police direct access to camera feeds,” explained Reichert. “To clarify what the program is: a citizen is simply registering that they have a camera and would be willing to share footage in the event of an incident in their area.”

Reichert also reiterated this in an email to the Sun last month, which emphasized that, “Signing up for a camera registry does not give the police direct access to camera feeds. Rather, it allows law enforcement to contact individuals if video footage is needed in an investigation. The process is entirely voluntary, and citizens maintain control over their own camera systems.”

A woman, who has signed up for the program, told the Sun she has provided video footage to police. The footage was shared after her neighbour’s garage was broken into, and the police wanted to check footage of the vehicles on the road that could have potentially moved the heavy equipment stolen from the garage.

“Honestly, it makes us feel safe,” said the middle-aged woman, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. “I would recommend people have their cameras and share, but that’s my personal opinion.”

The woman has a doorbell camera, as well as cameras pointing toward the street, which police said they are looking for in registrations.

The woman also mentioned being contacted earlier by the police when an elderly person had disappeared in the neighbourhood. Police said they were looking to identify the exact day the missing woman discontinued her routine of walking down the portion of sidewalk captured by the video at around 9 a.m. to get groceries.

Establishing such timelines is also one way SNAP cameras help solve crime, Reichert told the Sun. Police also use the program to track vehicles and identify suspects.

In its essence, the program invites residents to declare they have a camera and pins that location on a map. Police then have the knowledge of where they can go in an area where a resident would be open to sharing footage. When launched in 2021, Brandon Police Service wrote that the SNAP program was a way to speed up canvassing.

“By having a centralized map of where these cameras exist, police have the opportunity to expedite investigations,” BPS said in a press release at the time. “Investigators will still canvass neighbourhoods for this information, [but] it can often be very time-consuming, leading to delays in stopping a potentially active threat.”

Reichert agreed with the statement, saying video footage can “dramatically” speed up investigations.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com