Success in principal.  There's a ways to go before implementation, but it's coming.  Article in the Eaminer today about the Police Board meeting. 

Thanks to all who helped along the way.

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Smile, you're on downtown camera

Police board gives initial approval

By BOB BRUTON, Barrie Examiner

Updated 4 hours ago

Security cameras in downtown Barrie have the green light.

The city's police board gave initial approval Tuesday to the project, which has a starting cost of about $300,000.

"There is interest in the community to have these cameras installed," Police Chief Mark Neelin said.

"I've been surprised at how overwhelming support has been," Mayor Jeff Lehman said. "I think we have a sense of what level of interest there is in the community."

Community response was measured through phone calls, e-mails, surveys and media polls, and 62% of those who responded were in favour of having security cameras downtown.

The Downtown BIA has already endorsed the concept.

Neelin will come back to the police board with some hard numbers on what staffing, monitoring and maintenance costs would be for 10 to 12 cameras in the downtown, then the matter would go to city council, possibly as early as Aug. 8.

The police board gave unanimous approval to a motion Tuesday that it endorses installing security cameras in the downtown — if they can be funded with an acceptable impact on the police operating budget.

Lehman said this would be considered a service level increase by Barrie police, something that is considered by council in city departments on a regular basis.

Neelin said security cameras would increase demands on the police information technology staff. But the security cameras wouldn't be actively viewed by police and set to monitor a general area. They wouldn't always be in the same location, either. The police communications centre would have a monitor and staff would be able to watch it.

There would have to be someone responsible to make sure the system functions properly, the necessary records are maintained, maintenance is done and footage is retrieved, as required.

"While I have not found any hard statistics to relate to a percentage drop in the crime rate in the monitored areas, the feeling is that the cameras do assist in deterring crime," Neelin said. "There have been some crimes which have been solved with the assistance of the video."

City police looked at security cameras in Sudbury, Sturgeon Falls, London, Windsor, Toronto, Trenton, Cobourg and Cornwall.

While the city would be responsible for costs associated with the cameras, that price could be offset by provincial funding through the proceeds-of-crime grants and private/public partnerships.

Lehman said a number of city groups have approached him about helping with community projects, and this could be one. The mayor also said PowerStream might be able to help with the installation, as the cameras would be in elevated positions.

Last summer, the police board instructed Neelin to investigate security cameras, in consultation with the Downtown Barrie Neighbourhood Association and the Downtown Barrie BIA. How many cameras would be used, where they would go, how they would be deployed and cost were all to be part of the chief's investigation.

Many private businesses already use video cameras inside their buildings and on their property for security reasons. Police also use these recorded images to investigate crimes and possibly identify suspects.

Barrie's Transit Terminal had 10 security cameras installed at its Maple Street building a few years ago. Cabling, digital equipment and computer monitors are also part of the system.

The security camera images at the bus station are recorded, but not constantly monitored. There are also security personnel at the downtown terminal.

The city also has security cameras — about 50 — in its Collier Street parking garage. Their images are also just recorded and not actively monitored.

In 2001, the city looked at installing video surveillance cameras in the downtown area. But conflicting federal and provincial positions on the legality of surveillance, even in high-crime areas, and the potential for court challenges in cities where cameras are already used, stopped the plans.

bbruton@thebarrieexaminer.com