South Bend Police Department uses new tech to fight crime

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- FUSUS combines multiple police department applications into one central system.

TheSouth Bend Police Department is excited about this new system because it collaborates in real time with officers and the community.

"That includes business participation, a residential camera registry, and also the ability to report to the South Bend Police Department," said the Support division chief Tim Lancastor.

The FUSUS system provides police with real time information as they arrive on calls, helps with evidence gathering, and improves overall efficiency.

There's also a voluntary camera registry program.

This specifically allows people and businesses to work with police voluntarily.

"Residents will be able to access that website and actually register their any of their home cameras on that actual website to make it much easier for people to become involved," said Chief Lancastor.

If a crime occurs in the area where a camera is registered with the department, "That person, that resident will actually receive an email notifying them that their crime has occurred in their area," said Chief Lancastor. "If they see something on that they believe would be valuable information to share with the police, then they would actually email that link back and share that."

Right now, police officers have to conduct time consuming canvasses in the area and request video in person.

The department believes the camera registry speeds up the video evidence gathering process.

It also allows residents who may fear retaliation a confidential way to help.

Chief Lancastor stated, "None of that information is public. It'll be confidential through an actual website that we're building with users. And they would go on there to actually register their crammer on that on a private server."

Businesses in South Bend can also volunteer to give the police department real time access their security cameras, if they choose.

"The businesses will actually be the ones that determine what access we have, that'll be their choice. That'll be those only in publicly viewable spaces." said Chief Tim Lancastor.

The $125,000 per year system could give responding officers the upper hand responding to potentially violent situations.