BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham Police Department wants to catch criminals and put them behind bars faster. 

The program is called ConnectBirmingham, and it is made up of two phases: camera registry and camera integration. Community members can register their cameras on the BPD website.

BPD Chief Scott Thurmond said registering your camera does not mean that police can access your live video stream. What the program does is alerts the BPD that you have cameras at your home or business and investigators will contact you to access footage if a crime happens in your area. Thurmond said this program helps create a safer Birmingham.

“We don’t want to look at the cameras in someone’s home,” Thurmond said. “We’re talking about outside, facing the street, driveway, things like that may be facing the backyard and businesses in the outer perimeter.”

For more information about ConnectBirmingham, click here.