Florida deputies want access to your security camera footage under new safety program

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The Orange County Sheriff's Office announced a new public safety program that allows first responders to easily locate the nearest security cameras in the event of an emergency or investigation. To find them, however, they're relying on the community to register their security cameras. 

In the new program, Connect Orange County, homeowners and businessowners can register their security cameras for free to help deputies solve crimes in Orange County.

"The Orange County Sheriff's Office camera registry is a way to easily locate the nearest cameras in a designated area during the course of an investigation, emergency event, or emergency response," the sheriff's office said on its website. "In the past, investigators had to rely on eyewitnesses and piece together pertinent information over days and sometimes months. The camera registry gives private residents and business owners the ability to register their cameras to an online portal, accessible only by law enforcement."

Registering for the voluntary program does not give the Orange County Sheriff's Office direct access to your security camera feed. It just helps them easily find nearby cameras if an incident happens nearby. 

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Additionally, your information and participate will remain private. All officials will be able to see is a map of cameras and your contact information so they can ask for footage – and only the Orange County Sheriff's Office can see this map. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office's new public safety program does not give officials access to your security cameras, but shows them a map of where cameras exist in the event of an emergency or investigation. (Photo: Orange County Sheriff's Office)

You can choose whether or not to share your security camera video. It is not required, even if you're registered. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office cannot access – remotely or directly – your security cameras at any time. 

To register, residents will need to provide their name, contact information, home or business address and the number of internal and external cameras. 

Businesses can also integrate their cameras so law enforcement can have real-time access in the event of a crime. 

Click here for more information about the Orange County Sheriff's Office's Connect Orange County program and to register.