Camera Registry Program

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) is committed to public safety and partnering with the communities we serve. To expand that partnership and deter crime even further, KCSO is initiating a voluntary civilian camera registry called Camera Registry Program. The Camera Registry Program is designed for residents and businesses to register their privately-owned video surveillance system to deter crime, or in the event of a crime, provide video footage. The information will help deputies contact you quickly and identify suspects in your neighborhood. The goals of the program are to reduce crime, to assist law enforcement with investigations, and to increase public safety.

How it works:

Registration: Register online at kernsheriff.org by providing contact information and telling us about your surveillance system and location of your cameras. There is not a fee for registration. Registration is voluntary.

Confirmation: Once you have successfully registered, a member of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office will send you a confirmation email. Confirmation emails will be sent out annually to confirm your contact and camera information are still current.

Calls for Service: You will only be contacted if an incident has occurred in your area. Sheriff’s Office personnel will request a copy of your video surveillance that may assist in any investigation.

Terms and Conditions:

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office created the Camera Registry Program to partner with our communities to deter crime and improve quality of life. By registering for the program, you agree to the following Terms and Conditions:

1. Registration is completely voluntary.
2. Any surveillance footage collected by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office relating to criminal activity may be used in an investigation and as possible evidence.
3. No surveillance footage collected by KCSO will be released to the public or media except:
   1. When required by law or court order OR
   2. To the extent that it is necessary to further an investigation which may include sharing surveillance footage with
      1. Other law enforcement agencies OR
      2. The media and/or the community to request assistance in identifying and/or apprehending suspect(s). For instance, KCSO may use still photographs from surveillance footage to create bulletins and flyers.
4. KCSO will contact you directly with the information provided on your registration to request specific video surveillance.
5. Under no circumstances shall registrants construe themselves as an agent, employee, or representative of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
6. You agree not to release any surveillance footage or still images to the media or on social media upon request by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, as it could hinder an investigation.
7. If you no longer want to participate in the registry program, no longer own a video surveillance system, have moved, or need to make changes to your registration, you may contact crimeanalysisunit@kernsheriff.org