City officials announced today a new initiative with the support of the Linden Police Department, that the City of Linden will be unveiling a Virtual Block Watch Program.
Linden Mayor said, “This virtual block watch will bring residents and business owners together in an attempt to prevent crime and improve the quality of life in our community. It is what one might call the 21st Century Neighborhood Block Watch”. The Mayor went on to say, “the virtual block watch is an attempt to answer, “How do we come up with another solution to ensure that we are capable of protecting our community and assist the police department in their efforts to keep us safe.”
Chief Jonathan Parham said, “In a virtual block watch, police partner with businesses, community groups and concerned residents to acquire video surveillance involving crime, and having access to these cameras will aid in investigation purposes.”
The Chief added, “Having cameras in our neighborhoods and downtown area will help relieve all day canvassing efforts that officers have to do when investigating a crime. This initiative will help the police connect with the community and reach out to residents working proactively helping our department to help better protect and serve the residents and businesses.”
By registering your camera you can directly contribute to the safety of our community by making it an undesirable target for criminals.
If you register you are advising Law Enforcement that a particular area is under video surveillance.
Registration does not imply consent, and law enforcement will not view your video without your permission. Should a crime occur nearby, a police representative will contact you and request to view the video.
Linden residents and businesses who already have cameras can register their cameras with the Linden Police Department either online or by submitting a registration form, in person to Linden Police Headquarters. The form will be located on the city website and can be downloaded.
Linden Mayor said, “That he will be distributing free cameras on a first come first serve basis to qualified senior citizens as part of the initial pilot program.”