Private businesses and individuals with security cameras will be able to partner with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), allowing the agency to access the cameras to assist with investigations and improve response times.
IMPD is piloting B.Link Pro with businesses including Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana and Big Red Liquors. Those cameras are not monitored live but can be accessed in the event of a public safety threat.
The Indy Public Safety Foundation will act as a liaison between IMPD and the business community. The organization will be the main point of contact to connect potential partners with the resources they need to be part of B.Link.
“A technology program may not be the first thing you think of when we talk about community policing, but the partnerships developed through B.Link are what this model is all about — policing with the community,” IMPD Chief Bryan Roach said in a statement.
B.Link Indy is for individuals and works a little differently. The agency would not be able to access any registered cameras without permission.
If there is a crime in the area, for example, law enforcement could reach out to anyone who has a registered camera and ask for permission to access footage. Registration of a camera does not give law enforcement automatic consent.
These efforts are part of a $35 million investment from the city in public safety technology. Any businesses and individuals interested in partnering with IMPD can fill out a form at blinkindy.org.
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
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