Baltimore County, MD BCUpFront, 17 Feb 2011

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From YouTube: iWatch Baltimore County

Description

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, along with Police Chief Jim Johnson and Information Technology Director Rob Stradling, announced the newest technical device to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of County citizens. iWatch Baltimore County is a neighborhood online awareness program created to educate and encourage citizens to vigilantly observe and report suspicious behaviors that may have connections to crime, including local, state, or national security threats.

Through e-mail subscriptions, residents can receive iWatch Baltimore County crime alerts and agency information, and with the use of their computers and/or handheld electronic devices be able to provide Police with tips and make non-emergency complaints.

A demonstration of the program will be conducted at the news conference.

Individuals may subscribe to receive iWatch Baltimore County crime alerts and learn more about reporting suspicious activity at: http://baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies//police/media/iWatch/index.html.

A

Today, we're at the public safety building and we're announcing our latest technology initiative. I watch, which is really in the forefront of not only our county in the region, but also the state, that's going to increase the level of communication between the police department and our citizens, who will be able to use interactive technology to report crimes to find out the status of crimes, give us tips and find out more information about what's going on in non-emergency cases. So let me just first start with our great Police Chief Jim Johnson.

A

You won't tell something about this well,.

B

Certainly a mr. county executive. For some time now, we've been working on a web-based tool to really enhance citizens partnering with police, to clear crimes, to gain information and to play a greater role in public safety in Baltimore County. This will be more convenient for our citizens and certainly help us connect the dots or pieces of the puzzle together to clear serious crime and other nuisance crime in Baltimore County. Let.

A

Me go over to our information technology Rob straddling who's kind of the technocrat behind this Rob. What can you tell us about this new technology? Well,.

C

It's it's given another ability for folks to communicate and adding that transparency level, so they can follow up and get additional status upon. What they're reporting gives us ability to gather some data, so we're able to see some trends and be able to see you know how to help to respond to situations. So it's a good use of new technology being able to have techs ability, I'll be able to receive pictures and be able to you. Don't have the video streaming just.

A

Want to remind everyone if it's an emergency, of course, you always call 911, although this site is also monitored, 24 7 by police officers, we want people to an event of a real emergency call. 911, you know what's great about this technology is that this was all produced in-house, so there's no additional expense to the taxpayers, but the savings that will achieve in terms of efficiency, consolidation and innovation will really reap a lot of dividends and perhaps representing the community.

A

We we have Fred Porcella who's, going to you from the police and community relations council who can give a little perspective from the community. Well,.

D

For years, we've been telling the community to be the eyes and ears for the police department, because the police officer can't be on your street corner 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Well now this makes it a little bit easier for people in the neighborhood to communicate with the police officer. Give him information, help them, and a lot of people were always scared. They didn't want retaliation or something if they give that information where a police officer would have to come to their house. Well, now that doesn't have to be done.

D

The officer can communicate with the people through email or their cell phones or whatever. So it makes it a lot easier, more convenient and safer for the people of the county to be the eyes and ears for the police department. So now, Fred.

A

What's what's our new logo now, our new slogan, if you.

D

See something say something: that's.

A

Great and and this will this is on our website- baltimore county ND, gov /. I watch.