The Newark Police Department and SecureWatch 24, New York, with a Network Operations Center located in Moonachie, N.J., partnered to combat local crime by allowing the police access to SW24 customer video recordings. According to the company it may be the first collaboration of its kind in the state of New Jersey.

The agreement allows the Newark Police to access local SW24 customer video records upon request in order to aid criminal investigations. Local SW24 customers will agree in advance to allow such access. There are currently several dozen SW24 customers in the Newark area with more than 300 cameras in various locations. SW24 is already obtaining permissions from its customers as part of this effort. SW24 maintains a video management network of more than 22,000 cameras throughout New York City and New Jersey.

SW24 said it worked closely with Peter Lutz, MIS/I.T. director at the Newark Police Department on the collaboration. In the future, a video terminal may be installed by SW24 in the city’s Rapid Transit Operations Center so trained personnel can do real-time video surveillance — but only with prior customer permission. The agreement comes at a time when a controversial ordinance requiring video cameras in certain types of Newark bars and restaurants recently took effect.

“We understand the needs of the police in putting together solid evidence against a suspect. We’re not Big Brother, but we are ‘One Cop to Another,’” Smyth said.