BALTIMORE, Md. — We've seen them all over, doorbell cameras and other home security systems. Neighbors work to make their homes safer. Now, neighborhoods are working together to make their whole community safer.
Patterson Park has had neighbors with cameras for years. Shortly after they got the cameras, they learned the importance of working together.
"Pretty soon we realized if you’ve got a camera and she’s got a camera and he’s got a camera what if we started to talk? It's not really a digital network more of organic network," said Arch McKown, who lives in Patterson Park and is only the neighborhood association. He said all the neighbors talk with each other in person, over the phone and on Facebook to share information.
They also talk with police. "Police are calling and sharing information," said McKown. "This crime happened can you send us footage from this area?"
Something he says has helped with crime in the area.
"I can’t count how many arrests have happened or number of prosecutions," said McKown.
The west side of the city has seen this too.
"I saw this can solve a lot of issues like illegal dumping, people car shopping and thefts and burglaries. So it can solve a lot of issues," said Stephan Hanley, who is part of the Historic Marble Hill Association.
As soon as he bought a house in the area, he started an initiative to get more cameras in the area, especially in the main corridors.
"Being able to help people get them privately but also looking into grants so that the sure areas that need to be watched are being watched," he said.
Right now, he as three cameras outside his home and a couple inside. He even just ordered a sensor for his car since many people said while burglaries appear to be down in the area, carjackings appear to be up.
I reached out to Baltimore City Police to get some statistics on crime in the area and possible changes but did not hear back. Baltimore County police confirmed home security cameras have helped to assist solving crimes.
