Public Safety - Safe Neighborhoods - Pilot Program

HB 283 establishes a three-year pilot program (2025-2028) requiring Maryland's Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy to provide free doorbell cameras or security systems with cameras to residents in designated high-crime areas. The program includes installing devices, training residents on usage and evidence submission, creating a process for sharing footage with law enforcement, and implementing privacy protections (e.g., prohibiting forced sharing of footage and ensuring data security). The Office must identify high-crime areas, manage applications, and report annually on crime rates, solved cases using camera evidence, resident security perceptions, participation numbers, and cost-benefit analysis. Funding is set at $5 million annually starting in fiscal year 2027, with the program ending automatically on September 30, 2028.