YULEE, Fla. — A neighbor's Ring camera surveillance footage was crucial in making an arrest in the Sunday homicide of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey.
The St. Johns County Police spokesperson tells First Coast News the agency has a program called the 'St. Johns Community Watch,' where businesses and HOAs can provide access to their security cameras.
Now Nassau County is launching a similar program.
“We’re calling it ‘Eyes on Crime Camera Registration Program,' Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said.
The new program allows residents and business owners to register their outside video surveillance systems with the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
“You never know what your camera may pick up, and in case a crime were to happen in that area, we can have a database where we know where the cameras are, and we can see maybe if that camera picked up something that could lead to maybe solving that case," Leeper said.
The video helped the Nassau County Sheriff's Office find the body of Jesse Grooms, a man with Alzheimer's Disease who wandered off.
“It’s especially useful in Nassau County because of the fact that there may not be a lot of businesses in the area that typically have cameras," Mark Baughman said.
First Coast News crime and safety expert Mark Baughman has 35 years of experience in law enforcement and says surveillance cameras can be crucial for an investigation.
“It corroborates things," Baughman said. "It gives a fact pattern. Typically, law enforcement relies on that type of information, along with witness statements.”
Sheriff Leeper says it only takes a few minutes to register your security camera. Your camera will go into a database, and a deputy will contact you if a crime happens within a certain radius.
“You go to the website. It’s nassauso.com," Leeper said. "Click on the ‘programs’ tab, and scroll down. You’ll see camera registration. A page will come up, and it gives you a little information about the program. Just put in your information, and it’s a great way to allow our community to help law enforcement keep our county as safe as possible.”
Click here to register for the program with the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
Clay Community Connect is a similar program for businesses and residents in Clay County.