Police urge businesses to check video cameras
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on January 21, 2005 2:07 PM
The Goldsboro Police Department is urging businesses to examine their surveillance cameras to make sure that they are in good working order.
Cpl. Teresa Cox, a police crime prevention officer, says a clear videotape of a possible crime from a surveillance camera would give officers a better opportunity to arrest the suspects.
Police offered nine tips for video recording and maintenance:
*Make sure that the security system is turned on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because crime can occur during normal business hours, just as it does during off-hours.
*Replace the videotape every 24 hours and keep each tape at least 30 days. Once the tape is recorded over or information is deleted, it is lost forever.
*Review each tape before recording over it or disposing of it, because footage of criminal activity may be on the tape.
*Make sure that the recording devices have the correct times and dates so that the actual time of the crime is shown. Make sure that the times are changed when Daylight Savings Time starts or after a power outage.
*Make sure that the lenses are cleaned regularly so that a clear photo is recorded.
*Make sure that the video cassette recorder heads are cleaned regularly.
*Make sure that the entrances and exits of the building are recorded and that the camera is recording at all times.
*Check surveillance equipment regularly to make sure that the view being shown is close enough so that the suspect can be identified easily.
*Make sure that the surveillance equipment is working properly at the beginning of each shift and that tape is loaded in the equipment.
More information is available from Cpl. Cox at 580-4256, Investigator Dwayne Dean at 580-4211 or Investigator Dale Foster at 580-4217.