Region of Waterloo committee approves police CCTV camera pilot

A Waterloo Region committee has approved a plan to allow police to install CCTVs in several areas throughout the region. CTV's Heather Senoran reports.

The Region of Waterloo is on track to join Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo and North Dumfries in approving a police-led closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera pilot project.

The Region of Waterloo’s Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development Committee approved the initiative on Tuesday by a vote of 11 to 2. City of Kitchener council approved it Monday night.

The pilot project, proposed by the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), would see 52 cameras installed in 10 locations across the region, on region-owned utility poles.

In Waterloo, locations include Uptown Waterloo, King Street and University Avenue. In Kitchener cameras would be installed along Downtown Kitchener and near the Fairview Mall. Meanwhile cameras are slated to go up in Downtown Galt and along Hespeler Road in Cambridge.

At the committee meeting, police said the locations were chosen for a reason.

“We are using locations where there has been higher amounts of crime reported, where there has been violence reported, where there is an increase in citizen generated calls,” Deputy Chief Jen Davis said.

Police will be responsible for owning, installing, operating and maintaining the cameras.

“We will have the ability to access video footage sooner so that we can be more efficient,” said Davis.

Last month, police called the cameras an “investigative tool” to fight crime but promised the cameras would not be monitored live. Facial recognition software would be turned off, but automated licence plate readers would be active. As for any unused footage, the police say it will be deleted after 30 days.

“So we received $100,000 of grant funding from the ministry last year. That was matched also with $100,000 from WRPS,” said Davis.

Kitchener’s mayor, Berry Vrbanovic, did not vote in favour of the project on Monday or Tuesday.

“While I do think this is well intentioned, I think there are other things that we can do before this. And so, as I did at the City of Kitchener, I reluctantly won’t be able to support this,” he said Tuesday.

Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett said she’s seen security cameras solve crimes. Cambridge approved the cameras last week.

“So it’s like a partnership of the public, the municipalities and the police department together. I’m fully supportive of this,” Liggett said.

Waterloo was supposed to get CCTV cameras in January after approving the program, but as of early May, they hadn’t yet been installed.

North Dumfries also recently agreed to allow cameras in the Northumberland Street and Alps Road area – a part of the township near the 401 corridor that’s experienced a rash of thefts from businesses.

Police did not give an update on when they would be installed.