Sheriff's Office

At Home or Work: Strategic Placement of Surveillance Cameras

If you have invested in a home or business surveillance system, you want to make sure you are capturing as much information as possible as it is recorded.

If your security cameras are not placed in ideal locations, they may not be as effective as possible. A well installed camera system will record a criminal act and assist law enforcement in identifying and catching the criminal much more quickly. More seasoned thieves may try to disable a camera, which makes proper placement even more important. Here are a few tips on placement location choices for your cameras to deter crime and use recorded footage more successfully in prosecution.

Business Owners:

Law enforcement strongly encourage you to install cameras at face level or mount them low and angled upward towards the counter in front of the register versus high on the wall.  The thief often looks towards the clerk or down toward the register.  The lower mounted position provides a much clearer and more concise picture. Cameras should also cover all pedestrian and vehicular access points. Doorways and alcoves should not be recessed to such an extent that a place is created where a person can go unobserved. Avoid blocking visibility of doors and windows of the building.

Residential Recommendations:

First floor entry points to your home are the most vulnerable.  Be sure cameras are placed so that they can easily view all these entry points.   Although a majority of burglars enter through the front, many think they are safe when they hide under the cover of night in your back yard. Equipping your backyard with night vision and motion sensors will greatly enhance deterrence and image capture.  Many people mistakenly forget about the vulnerability of their garage as a potential entry point for burglars. Position at least one security camera so that it has a clear view of your garage doors (interior or exterior).  If it’s not possible to place cameras at all these points, it is recommended that residents at least install motion sensor flood lights at the front and back of their homes. Flood lights provide the best deterrents to potential burglars.