Alton citizen camera program aims to solve crimes easier

ALTON, Texas (ValleyCentral) —The Alton Police Department has launched a program to map out security camera locations in the community, aiming to solve crimes more efficiently.

The program is voluntary and does not grant the police direct access to camera footage. It is designed to help officers know where cameras are located so they can request footage if a crime occurs nearby.

"It's more to have more involvement with the community and to solve crimes easily," said Victoria Rojas from the Alton Police Department. "Sometimes we don't know who has cameras. Sometimes people don't want to let us know that they have cameras."

Jorge Salem, a cashier at El Molino, expressed support for the program but also voiced concerns about privacy and clarity regarding what participants are signing up for. "It's a bit confusing because as a business owner, something happens like maybe there is a break-in or there is any criminal activity, it would already report it to the police and voluntarily give them the footage because they want that person to be caught," he said.

Rojas emphasized that the program does not allow the police to access cameras 24/7. Instead, it serves as a registry where camera owners can let the police know they have cameras that can be useful in investigations. "They are just letting those know that they have cameras on the front or the back or the sides," Rojas explained.

Salem remains undecided about joining the program but is hopeful about its potential to reduce crime. "I hope that it does bring the crime down, and I think maybe in the future, in a couple of months down the line, when we can see the statistics. We will be able to reflect on this and we will have our answers then," he said.

The program is already active, and residents can sign up online to participate. As the community evaluates its effectiveness, the Alton Police Department continues to encourage participation to enhance public safety.

Here is the link to the program sign-up: https://www.alton-tx.gov/departments/police/alton_police_department_citizen_camera_program.php

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KVEO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KVEO staff before being published.