TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Do you have a remote security system? The Tallahassee Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies are asking you to sign up for a new program that would give them access to your cameras in order to fight crime. <\/p>\n
The Connect Tallahassee program, under a new Real Time Crime Center venture, was announced on Friday and would allow homeowners and business owners to voluntarily sign up to give police near real-time access to their cameras. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo we feel as though that\u2019s a good investment because now the infrastructure costs we\u2019re not going to have on procuring and trying to put up all the cameras ourselves. So we leverage what the community has. So we believe we\u2019ll get a very good return on investment as we go through that,\u201d said Jason Lowe, the co-director of the Real Time Crime Center.<\/p>\n
FAMU Association Professor Dr. Lee Bushong, a policing expert, was initially hesitant because of the fourth amendment. But, he said after looking into it more, his concerns are gone. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy first reaction was as a private citizen. And my concern there would be rooted in the Fourth Amendment, looking at law enforcement, could this potentially be an overreach? Could it be? And then as I dug a little bit deeper into it, I thought this was voluntary that this was sign up,\u201d Bushong said.<\/p>\n
More Tallahassee news: <\/p>\n
For businesses that opt-in, the Real Time Crime Center could gain live access to security camera. For residential cameras, law enforcement would search a list for people who have cameras nearby and ask them for the footage. <\/p>\n
\u201cA hundred percent is the goal. Obviously, any camera that we get, whether residential or business, is just going to add to the ability to solve crimes more quickly and keep our community safer,\u201d said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell.<\/p>\n
Dr. Bushong also said to compel a person to give the video against their will would require a warrant signed by a judge, while TPD officials stressed the program is entirely voluntarily.<\/p>\n
TPD is partnering with the Leon County Sheriff\u2019s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida State University Police Department for this initiative.<\/p>\n
For residents, the program is free. For businesses, the cost starts at $350. To learn more about the program or register your cameras, visit this website.<\/a><\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n