Involved in a hit-and-run? New tool shows location of security cameras

Google map of security cameras in downtown Portland.

When vehicles collide out on the roads, private and public security cameras often play a major role in providing evidence. Law enforcement officials pull security video footage to get a closer look at hit-and-run and bike theft suspects, to validate or disprove witness statements about how the collision occurred, and so on.

Just this morning, a road rage incident caught on video in Los Angeles is making the rounds. And last year, a Multnomah County DA used security camera footage from City Hall in downtown Portland to help them recreate a fatal collision at SW 3rd and Madison.

But as a citizen it’s often impossible to know if your incident was even captured to begin with. Now there’s a new tool, CommunityCam, that features a publicly-accessible Google Map of private and business security cameras. The map shows the location of hundreds of cameras in the Portland area.

Chad Gingrich of Portland-based VideoSurveillance.com says the goal is to have business owners and private citizens upload the location of their cameras so that, in the event of a crime or other incident, people can follow up with them to view footage. Gingrich points out that you can’t watch live footage from the cameras online.

Here’s more from Gingrich:

“Our aim is to make the community safer by providing local riders with the tools necessary in the unfortunate event of a crime such as a hit-and-run. In case something happens, people can look at the map to find out whether the crime may have been caught by local surveillance cameras. Or, people can use the map to plan safer, monitored riding routes.”

To add a camera to the map, users just create a log-in and enter its address. You can search for available cameras by entering your location. When you click a camera icon, it pops up with the address so you can follow-up with the property owner yourself, or pass the information on to police, your lawyer, and so on.

Check it out for yourself or read this local ABC story for more background.

This seems like a useful tool (it works well on smartphones too). What do you think?

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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BURR
BURR
10 years ago

I can remember just a few years ago when maps like these were posted on the internet to show just how much government and businesses were infringing on your privacy with all these security cameras.

BURR
BURR
10 years ago
Reply to  BURR

What’s next? Owning a personal drone that hovers over your head everywhere you go?

indy
indy
10 years ago
Reply to  BURR

go pro drone edition. 🙂

dwainedibbly
dwainedibbly
10 years ago
Reply to  BURR

I expect to see a Kickstarter campaign for something like that real soon.

Erinne
Erinne
10 years ago

Wowzers. I can’t help but find that more disturbing than reassuring.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago

what is even more scary is riding on a road that has nothing, cars can plow into you and later say I didnt see anything. 🙁 anyone ever notice hawthorne bridge going east, that green bike lane and cars coming off bridge at high speed and turn into ppl. happened yesterday I shot around her and see noticed me. kept going, total high speed right hook

daisy
daisy
10 years ago

This was great! Thanks so much for sharing this.

whyat
whyat
10 years ago

Just got a countour cam for my helmet to give some kind of running evidence in case I’m hit again. It’s easy to use, waterproof, and records video of decent quality. Keeps me from doing anything to stupid too.