Jonesboro Police offer new method to fight crime

JONESBORO, Arkansas (KAIT) – If you think your Jonesboro neighborhood needs more crime-fighting cameras, Jonesboro Police are now offering residents the opportunity to connect with the Real Time Intelligence Center.

JPD has partnered with Flock Safety to enable the connection of private or business security cameras.

Lieutenant Lyle Waterworth, head of the Real Time Intelligence Center, said the merger was intended for emergency use only and the JPD was only allowed access to the data it was authorized to access.

“We don't want insight into people's businesses. We don't want people's privacy to be invaded from the inside. What we want is access to the outside so that in an emergency we can see and know what's going on in case we need to respond,” he said.

Waterworth said the program will improve emergency preparedness among Jonesboro's first responders and allow investigators to more easily collect evidence.

The program comes after Jonesboro was hit by several shootings over the weekend. Waterworth said they hope to have more eyes in the sky to help with surveillance.

“We have created some operational plans. We use statistical information about crime. Where crimes occur, where accidents happen and where cameras are needed. And from that we create a list of where we need to put cameras,” he said.

Waterworth also said the data told them where the cameras were most needed.

If you are interested in integrating a camera into the Real Time Intelligence Center, click here for more information.

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