Community Sentinel Project
Elk Grove Community Sentinel is a new public safety program enabling the people of Elk Grove to help keep their community safe.
There are several ways for citizens and business owners to participate in the Community Sentinel program. Options include registering existing security cameras to a database that allows for law enforcement identify video resources near an incident or using an existing camera network to share live exterior video feeds with law enforcement. The program is designed to streamline the availability of video intelligence to enhance community safety. Participation in the program does not require the purchase of any additional equipment unless desired.
Your participation will greatly enhance the Elk Grove Police Department’s ability to assess and rapidly respond to criminal activity and emergency situations. It will also enable investigators to easily gather evidence in case of an incident.
Frequently Asked Questions: Camera Registration
Why should I register my camera?
Community involvement can be critical to an investigation. Evidence obtained on your camera can be used to solve crimes.
How will my camera be used?
An Elk Grove investigator will contact you to request video evidence should an incident occur near your camera. Your camera cannot be live streamed.
How do I register my camera?
Camera registration is fast and easy. All you need to do is enter your contact details into this secure form.
Frequently Asked Questions: Camera Integration
With camera integration, your cameras will provide critical video feeds to our Real Time Information Center in the event of a serious incident or call for service.
This service helps responding officers gain real time context before arriving on the scene so they can more safely and successfully respond to incidents in your area.
Additionally, camera integration gives detectives the tools they need to solve crimes that are reported in your community and continue to keep you safe.
Who should integrate cameras?
Residental communities and commercial businesses who would like Elk Grove PD to have direct access to their camera feeds.
How do I integrate my cameras?
Camera integrations depend on the type of camera. Use this form to tell us about your camera setup and we will send you detailed instructions.
How will my camera be used?
Integrating your cameras allows Elk Grove PD to have direct access to your camera feed in case of an emergency near your location.
Who can access my camera(s)?
Integrating your cameras allows Elk Grove PD to have direct access to your camera feed in case of an emergency near your location.
What information is needed to get started?
- Business point of contact/property representative
- IT, and/or camera administrator
- Camera infrastructure information and number of cameras at location
What does the set-up process look like?
For most cameras, a cloud connection to your existing IP cameras remotely or by connecting through your Video Management System (VMS). Sometimes the integration vendor will need to install an onsite device to connect with your cameras and integrate them into system. The vendor's team will partner with you to perform a hardware and software assessment to determine the best process for getting you up and running.
Are my current cameras compatible? Will I need to update my IT and hardware configurations?
Most IP based cameras with RTSP support are compatible with the vendor's system.
What data is being shared?
You choose! Four different ways to share:
- Register your cameras to provide the location and quantity of your cameras to law enforcement. Law enforcement may reach out to request access to footage in the event of an incident.
- Allow law enforcement to live stream into your feeds (you pick which feeds are accessible).
- Allow law enforcement to view live and historical footage, but they cannot download.
- Allow law enforcement to view live and historical footage, and to download the footage for evidentiary purposes.
Who can access my data?
Law enforcement officers will be able to access your data when necessary. The permissions of how they can access the data is facilitated by the vendor and the camera owner.
How can I tell when/if my data is being shared?
A right to privacy is always forefront in our mind. The vendor tracks every user’s interaction & makes it accessible to your designated business administrators.