La Crosse police looking to create database of security cameras

Got any surveillance cameras for your home or business?

The City of La Crosse Police Department is asking for your help.

Not to solve a past crime, but to prevent future ones.

The department is seeking information on businesses or private homes that have cameras.

Officer Dustin Darling explains the benefit of cameras during an investigation.

“Being able to provide us with that information will allow us to put it into a database where say, an incident occurs in their neighborhood,” Darling said. “We’d be able to get in touch with them, and ask to see if there is any video footage that covers the incident.”

The program downtown with businesses involved has been extremely effective, according to Darling.

“Very easy for us to go back to the police department then, and bring up that video footage and track down the suspect a lot quicker than searching around and trying to make contact with other individuals.”

Darling says the database wouldn’t be shared with other departments.

Video evidence helped police identify Shavonte Thompson as the shooter of Javier Hall last November.

To register your camera, click here.