As news of the West Hempstead shooting broke Tuesday afternoon, officials in Suffolk County were announcing the expansion of an initiative that will connect CCTVs in supermarkets and big box stores to the county police departments real time crime center.

The SHARE initiative, Sharing to Help Access Remote Entry, was originally created for school districts.

"Seconds matter and seconds can save lives," said Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart. "The ability to have eyes inside of a building during an unfolding emergency would give our personal intelligence to pass along to responding officers."

Police Chief Stu Cameron says giving responding officers real-time information can be critical.

"They can formulate a tactical plan of entry and perhaps prevent further harm," said Cameron. "We can also utilize that video to determine how many people are injured in that store, exactly where they're located and we can stage EMS accordingly."

County Executive Steve Bellone called on Congress Tuesday to pass real gun reform legislation. There are have been more than 50 mass shootings across the country in just the last month.

Police will be conducting an active shooter drill at a local King Kullen on May 2.

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