Surveillance video network to change face of security for Fayetteville

A crime mitigation and safety initiative is making Fayetteville businesses and neighbors safer through a video network.

Security video cameras are everywhere. This one captured a woman last month being shot during an attempted carjacking in a convenience store parking lot. Investigators say the cameras provide evidence that can help solve a crime and get a conviction.

"Video is the modern-day fingerprint," said Fayetteville police chief Kem Braden. "If you are going to arrest somebody for something that specifically happened out in the public, people are going to ask, where's the evidence? Where's the video?"

The video is all around us. That's why the police department is asking resident and business owners to join their new crime fighting and public safety initiative. It's a real time crime center in the cloud platform powered by Fusus.

The owners of Hawley's Bicycle Shop on Raeford Road has 32 security cameras on the property surrounding their business. They were one of the first to join the police department's program.

"It just allows the police to have a quicker access to be able to identify somebody," said Sandy Hawley. "Harming the community at a high-risk and help them to get to them quicker, I think."

Police also want homeowner to register their home security cameras. Not for unlimited access, but to let them know they'd be willing to share video if a crime is committed in their neighborhood.

In January, video showed a woman stealing a package containing World War I memorabilia from the great grandfather of a Fort Bragg soldier at his Fayetteville home. There was also footage of a pregnant woman who was shot several times outside a Fayetteville convenience store from February.

"The Fayetteville Police Department is not looking to get into your personal," Braden said. "We don't want to invade your privacy at all, just to know that you have cameras so if something was to happen on your block, where we can go and knock on your door, I think it would save us a lot of time."

Fayetteville police are monitoring about 200 cameras around the city, but they want to add even more. They are asking businesses and residents to join Fusus, which is what they believe is the future of solving crime in the city.

Now the push is on to get businesses and residents to sign up so they can be part of the program.

To register a camera with the Fayetteville Police Department or to upload a video directly to investigators, you can visit connectfayetteville.org and follow the instructions.