MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Councilmembers are looking for new ways to cut down on crime in Montgomery County. Some hope more security cameras will do the trick.
Several council members proposed a bill Tuesday for a private security camera incentive program with the Montgomery County Police Department. The bill was created and sponsored by Councilmembers Craig Rice, Sidney Katz, and Council President Gabe Albornoz.
The program's goal would be to incentivize people to have security cameras installed in order to slow down crime. The cameras, however, would be installed in areas of the county where crime rates are relatively higher, the bill describes.
The bill states that under this proposed program individual people or businesses can apply to the Montgomery County Police Department to receive a voucher or a rebate that would "offset the cost of installing a security camera on the individual's or business's property."
The bill further states that the property of the individual or business has to lie in the designated area that the Montgomery County Police Department describes as being a priority.
An area that is deemed as a priority is defined as “one or more police districts identified by the Chief as needing additional security cameras based upon public safety indicators, including crime levels," according to the Montgomery County Council document.
Through this program, the police chief would have to provide a report outlining how the program is implemented, the number of rebates and vouchers that were awarded and how effective the program was.