Ocean City Police Establish Surveillance Camera Registry

OCEAN CITY, MD – Officers of the Ocean City Police Department are using surveillance footage as an investigative tool more often as both residential and commercial surveillance cameras continue to rise in popularity in the resort. To make the process of finding available surveillance cameras easier, the OCPD has established a surveillance camera registry on their website.

Surveillance camera footage has been a part of countless investigations in recent years. In 2017, video was collected over 100 times for investigative purposes. Currently, when an investigator feels that surveillance footage would be helpful to a case, the officer or detective must canvas the neighborhood to determine where cameras might be located and if they would be helpful. The registry would allow officers to easily determine where cameras are located, a detailed description of how the camera operates, and the property owners contact information.

“As the surveillance camera registry grows, it will be an invaluable tool for our officers when they are working to solve crimes,” commented Chief Ross Buzzuro. “We are hopeful that every property owner with a surveillance camera will share their information with us and that this will become a city-wide neighborhood watch, of sorts.”

To sign up, property owners should visit oceancitymd.gov/police. Citizens will find a link to the Surveillance Camera Registry form and will be asked to provide contact information, details about the camera and its retention period, areas that the camera covers, and other details. The registry will be kept confidential and only accessible to members of the OCPD.

For more information, contact the OCPD Public Affairs Office at 410-520-5395.