Virtual Block Watch is one of the Phoenix Police Department’s contemporary crime prevention and investigation tools that demonstrate the effectiveness of partnership between police and community.

Home surveillance cameras are most popular these days and they are helping law enforcement easily identify criminals and their crimes

With Virtual Block Watch if any possible intruder intrudes then it automatically updates both the phoenix police and the house owner. This Virtual Block Watch helps Phoenix police in fighting crime.

“We are now using surveillance systems in places they didn’t have them before”, said Sgt.Vince Lewis.

According to Phoenix police, this system has made investigation easier in case of home burglary calls.

There was a recent case that involves a valley homeowner who spotted a strange women lurking around her house just last week. The woman, who was wearing a white mask and walking her dog in the early hours of the morning, was lurking by the front door- not once twice but on many different occasions.

“She never made an eye contact with our cameras, which is quite odd because they are very obvious and as home owners, you want them to be quite obvious”, said the homeowner, who didn’t want to be identified.

The women said that this system works better than her house alarm system.

“But this is a much more fool-proof way, its not something you have to set or not, it records 24/7 and it alerts us of activity.

This voluntary program that began during the serial street shooting investigation, allows the home owners to register their cameras with the department so the detectives knows who has them and where.

“We don’t get to view them, we don’t get to stream them live,” explained Lewis. If a crime is committee din your neighborhood and your camera is pointed in a direction you can let us know you may have footage and our investigators can contact you after the fact with a program called Virtual Block Watch.

Police say that there are lots of ways you can protect your house even without using expensive and elaborate security systems.

“puts locks on your windows, light your property , trim back your bushes. There are lots of simple methods that you can use and keep your house safe” said Lewis.

All you have to do is register and verify your camera at the virtual Block Watch and you have taken a step to protect your house.

Virtual Block Watch: Phoenix Police Dept. Program www.phoenix.gov/police/virtualblockwatch

By A.s