Rights groups said the plan may also help expose any police misconduct

New Yorkers could soon be able to help fight crime by sending video or photo evidence directly to the city police department's computers.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said any mobile phone camera images of a crime scene would help an investigation.

Civil rights campaigners hope the new technology will also help expose incidents of police misconduct.

A recent video of a policeman shoving a cyclist to the ground in Times Square has had more than 1m views on YouTube.

The clip on the video-sharing website generated an online discussion about police brutality.

Commissioner Kelly said the new service would be available soon.

"It's a fact of life. Everybody has a camera in their telephones. When people can record an event taking place that helps us during an investigation," he was quoted as saying by Reuters new agency.





