SHERWOOD, Ark — The Sherwood Police Department is implementing a new security program across the city and right now they are asking businesses to get on board.
It's called the Sherwood Community Camera Program and the idea was dreamt up this spring.
Tyler Gaunt, Sergeant for the Sherwood Police Department, said the program has two main goals: First, to make sure citizens feel safe in their community. Second, to make sure criminals know Sherwood isn't the place to commit a crime.
Up and down the streets of Sherwood, you see business after business and many of them face busy roads like Kiehl Avenue and State Highway 107.
Gaunt said the Sherwood Police Department used their prime locations to come up with a plan.
"Our basic idea is to have camera footage all along our main roadways," he said.
Gaunt said in the past they have been able to solve major crimes, like homicides, simply from residents' own surveillance cameras.
He said now, they are asking businesses to help out.
"If anything major does happen, any major felony like a bank robbery, a robbery, anything along those lines. If we can establish a timeline and get a suspect vehicle coming into and out of the city, it greatly assists our criminal and investigation division," Gaunt said.
He said the Sherwood Police Department has been going door to door handing out the program's flyers and asking businesses to put up these cameras.
Gaunt said several of these businesses already have cameras inside, but the key to this program is to have them facing the street.
"If we could get the businesses involved on the major thoroughfares coming in and out of the city. It would make the city a less desirable place to commit crime and it would get that message out to the criminals as well," he said.
Brian's Pharmacy is one of several businesses that already agreed to put up cameras.
Owner of Brian's Pharmacy, Brian Koesy, said they will buy as many cameras as they can.
"Yeah if can afford it we are absolutely going to do it," he said.
Koesy it was a no-brainer to take part in this community program.
"I think it will really help the police department in getting an idea when criminals show up and which way they are headed after they commit a crime and get an idea of who is committing the crime," he said.
Gaunt said if they haven't made it to your business in Sherwood, they are headed your way.
He said once they are done with the businesses, they are going to ask neighborhoods to join in.