About

What is it?

CAMSafe is a CCTV and security video registry aimed at keeping our community safe and assisting police solve crime.

Think of it like Neighbourhood Watch 2.0.

The program is set up to be a registry of anyone who owns security cameras, CCTV systems or doorbell cams in the province of Ontario. Only police have access to the database of registrants. Camsafe only requests basic contact information and camera locations – nothing else. No account information or specifics required. And you can change or delete your information at any time.

All this program is aimed at doing is providing a starting point for police officers to find video footage to assist an investigation.

For example, if there was a break and enter to a home on a city street, the investigating officer can log onto Camsafe and much like Google Maps, geofence an area and see if there are anyone who has registered a camera in the area. From that point, the officer – using the contact information provided – would request the footage from the owner.

A wee little bit of history

Inspired by similar projects in Red Deer Alberta (reddeercapture.ca) and in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia (safecam.phillypolice.com), CAMSafe sought to bring a registry to the next level through community partnerships and leveraging technology.

In 2020, Alarm Systems partnered with Belleville Police Service and a local web designer to develop a separate, innovative website to house the initiative.

In early 2021 as the project set to launch, partnerships were developed with government agencies and commercial businesses to ensure registered locations of cameras encompassed all regions and areas of the municipality.

In 2022 the program's expansion outside of the Belleville area picked up speed as word spread about the impact it was having on community safety and security. 

Around that time the Ontario Provincial Police came aboard as a significant partner, with plans to roll out CAMSafe to OPP detachments across the province within the next year. The program is owned and operated by Belleville Police Service at this time. 

In 2023, the OPP formally rolled out CAMSafe to all detachments across the province. 

A number of other policing agencies and communities have come on board over the past several months, including Peterborough, Hanover, Saugeen Shores and Kawartha Lakes police services.

Partnerships aside, the success of CAMSafe is built on the participation of the residents across the province – so please, if you have security cameras in your home, consider registering your contact information.

For more information about CAMSafe or how you could partner with us, please contact us.

If you are from a law enforcement agency and want to find out more about getting involved in the program, click here.