Dear Resident, 

Over 10,000 people have added their details to a new service that will help us catch criminals in their area – including yours! 

Every year, thousands of criminals are brought to justice thanks to CCTV and doorbell camera footage.

That’s why we’ve made it easier for people across Bilston and Wolverhampton to share their CCTV images with us.

Since September well over 10,000 people took just 60 seconds to add their details on our secure database. 

The new technology allows you to add your home or business cameras to a secure map of CCTV cameras in the West Midlands. 

All you need is your name, address, email and the number of cameras you control.

It means we can quickly identify cameras that may have captured evidence near to the scene of a crime. 

Within seconds, officers can send details of the incident to the owners of the camera, along with a request for them to check their footage. People can then send the images via a secure link helping officers to identify criminals or trace victims and witnesses, meaning crimes are solved faster.

Sending the request fast and replying quickly, helps prevent footage from automatically expiring from doorbell cameras or being overwritten on CCTV systems.

The system has already been successful in solving major crimes in Coventry. If people continue to add their details to the map that can only be seen by officers, it will help us solve other serious crimes in other areas of the West Midlands. 

How it works in three steps:

The system does not give West Midlands Police or anyone else access to your cameras or computer. You decide what images – if any – you share with us. 

Your name, address, camera details or any other personal information will not be publicly available on the secure site and investigating officers will only be able to see cameras plotted on a digital map and held on a secure police system, with strictly controlled access.

Sharing your recording with us does not mean you will have to attend court.

As part of the development of this system, we consulted with community groups who, like us, could see the benefits in making neighbourhoods safer and were confident in the system’s security layers. 

West Midlands Police is one of only two police forces in the UK who have started using the system to help solve crime. A version of the system has been used in parts of north America for some time. 

There’s still time for you to securely register your CCTV or doorbell cameras before the new year at: CCTV Registry | West Midlands Police.