9 Investigates

9 investigates surveillance video policies complicating criminal investigations

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Hours, sometimes even minutes matter when it comes to solving violent crimes.

If a camera records the crime, police try to get the video as quickly as possible, but Channel 9 discovered that it is getting more difficult for police to access the footage.

Some businesses have policies about releasing surveillance video that can slow police investigations.

Technology has made recording just about everything easier. Today, someone can press one button to shoot video on cellphones, and security systems have come a long way from pushing a tape into VCR and punching play and record.

While the images and quality have vastly improved, police are often frustrated by time delays in getting surveillance video that can be critical to solving a case.

"The video is everything really," Capt. Brent Allmon with the Rock Hill Police Department said.

Video can help an officer identify a suspect or victim and describe a getaway car.

But police told Channel 9 corporate policies are trending away from helping law enforcement.

In the last six months to a year, police here have seen policies change regarding surveillance video. It's happening at big box stores, restaurants and small convenience stores, police said. The issue is all about liability.

Allmon said many financial institutions will release surveillance video quickly if they suffer a financial loss, such as a robbery.

But if the business itself is not the victim of the crime, police must often take extra steps to get a copy of video surveillance.

Sometimes that's filling out corporate release forms, sending an email or even going before a judge to get a search warrant.

That delay can hamper an active investigation.

"Sometimes it can be 24 hours. Sometimes it can take several weeks, and that's where it gets frustrating," Allmon said.

A woman was robbed at gunpoint last May at an ATM at Founders Federal Credit Union on Anderson Road in Rock Hill.

Scott Campbell runs Driveway Cars next door, and his surveillance cameras captured the entire crime.

"We saw the person come out of the woods. Approach the, I want to say it was a lady that was in the drive thru. He had a gun," Campbell said.

Once Campbell realized what his cameras had recorded, he immediately called police and turned the video over to them.

Founders Federal Credit Union did not release its video. Police were required to get a search warrant to obtain the footage.

Campbell did not understand the credit union’s actions.

"We're keeping the police from doing their jobs," he said. "People are afraid of being sued, or getting in trouble, or stepping on someone else's rights."

The suspect in that case was caught and later linked to other robberies outside the area. The delay in getting the search warrant was only a day, but it could have made all the difference.

Nikki Nash with Founders told Channel 9 the company reacted quickly to the ATM robbery and reached out to police before they were even called about it. Nash said a search warrant is required when someone else besides the business is the victim, because they don't want to release the wrong information.

“It's sensitive information," Nash said. "There is no double standard, we have to be very careful with sensitive information that we have, protecting members and their identities and financial information that we have."

Nash said Founders staff downloaded the video and had it ready for police once the search warrant was issued.In another incident from February, a jogger reported being followed by a man with a knife. She was afraid and ran inside Family Trust Federal Credit Union on White Street.

Family Trust told police they needed a warrant to release the surveillance video. Later, the company did hand it over without a warrant.

Channel 9 reached out to Family Trust as well to ask about their policies on the issue.

The company sent the following statement:

"Family Trust considers the release of surveillance video on a case-by-case basis with consideration given to public safety and the privacy of our members. Family Trust values a strong working relationship with area law enforcement while adhering to federal regulations that limit what member information can be shared."

Police said they believe businesses do want to cooperate with police investigations as soon as possible, but they also have to follow their own guidelines and corporate policies.

Still, any delay in an investigation can put other people at risk because a criminal is still on the loose.

"That person is actually committing new robberies, breaking into more stuff, stealing more property," Allmon said. "We’re working for the victims."

Working for the victims means having to tell them why they can't identify a suspect yet, or explain why potentially important evidence in a case is not in their hands.

"That’s on us. We have to tell the victims that," Allmon said.

Police said they are not making a push to change a policy at any businesses, but do hope that continuing to build relationships with them will foster better, faster cooperation.

Nash said they require a search warrant to make absolutely sure the right information is being given out.

“We have a great relationship with police. We go overboard to help them, because I think they do that for us," she said.

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