19-02-2025
Cabarrus County launches new program that grants sheriff's access to businesses, homeowners' security cameras
CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office is starting a new program where businesses and homeowners can volunteer to have the sheriff's office tap into their private surveillance cameras, during an emergency only in real-time, so that deputies can provide faster and better response.
Last month, when Cabarrus County deputies got into a shootout with a murder suspect and neighbors were told to stay in their homes. The 9-1-1 center had access to deputies' body cameras then, but now they could have access to even more camera angles.
A video from a neighbor's home surveillance camera on January 13th shows deputies moving in, guns drawn, as they say a murder suspect fired at them and hid behind a car.
'What is the suspect doing? Are there others involved? Are there other injured parties that we need to attend to?' Capt. Kevin Klinglesmith with the Cabarrus County Sheriff's office said as he described the questions deputies have as they respond to situations like this.
The emergency on January 13th was unfolding in the middle of a neighborhood.
Deputies could not see the neighbor's video in real-time, but they're starting a new program that would give them that access, but only if homeowners and businesses allow it during emergencies.
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'They (homeowners and businesses) can sign up. They can have any security camera feeds that they have input into our system,' said Klinglesmith.
The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office got state grants to start the Protected Places pilot program with Motorola Solutions.
Some businesses say they like the idea of added protection, while others are hesitant because of privacy issues.
If deputies get permission from a business or homeowner, they can see surveillance footage from the business or home during emergencies only.
That's when the cameras would pop up in real-time at the sheriff's office's dispatch center.
That could give deputies information to help track down suspects faster.
'We get a lot of that information fairly quickly, so it basically gives us the information that we need to respond quickly. Another information from a local agency just up north, they were able to provide when I did a tour of their real-time information center, is to tell us about a school shooting that they had. While officers were responding to that school shooting, they were able to capture on video, the suspect,' said Klinglesmith.
Right now, the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office can tap in live to cameras in Cabarrus County Schools and any county building.
They're also working with cities like Concord and state agencies like NCDOT to have access in real time to those agencies' cameras.
This link provides more information on the Protected Places Program.
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