Oxnard Police using new technology to crack down on crime

Oxnard Police are cracking down on crime and using the latest technology to help them. Several community cameras have recently been placed throughout the city as well as introducing a new app to help gather evidence.

Residents might not notice the camera’s while driving through Oxnard, but if you look closely they are there — several of them.

“There are currently 13 community camera systems in the city,” said Eric Sonstegard, the assistant Police Chief at the Oxnard Police Department. “I believe the cameras are in eight different neighborhoods. There are a couple of different neighborhoods that have two.”

Community cameras were first introduced to the city back in 2017 when the police department received a federal grant funding the program. Oxnard had only two cameras installed at that time but has since grown tremendously.

“We have the funding right now to install 12 more with the hopes of continuing to grow the program through the years,” said Sonstegard.

The cameras are installed in 10 different neighborhoods throughout the city with high crime. The purpose is to create a presence and a deterrence for criminal activity.

“They also serve as an assistant for investigators,” said Sonstegard. “If a crime does happen and there is a camera there our investigators are able to go back and review the footage and maybe identify the suspect.”

While some officers are utilizing camera footage to help reduce crime, others are gathering evidence through the Axon App.

“If I was to respond to your house and you had video, I can send you a link as the officer taking the report, and from that link you can upload that video or your evidence to our cloud,” said Crystal Walker, who is a detective with the Oxnard police.

Axon Citizen for Communities is a new feature that was introduced last month. It allows the entire community to submit photos and video during a large incident like a homicide.

“It’s getting us the evidence that we need,” Walker. “Right now when we give someone that link, they can upload it immediately and get an identification and possibly make an arrest.”

Oxnard police officers are the ones that build and install the community cameras throughout the city.