Welland considering downtown cameras to curb crime: Mayor

There are three Niagara municipalities using closed circuit cameras in busy areas to assist in police investigations.

St. Catharines has been collecting footage through the Niagara Regional Police real time operations centre since 2012.

Late last month, the NRP announced partnerships with the City of Port Colborne and the City of Niagara Falls. Port Colborne has one downtown and in the Falls, the tourist district has seven put in place.

Welland is Niagara’s thirdlargest city and is not unfamiliar with crime.

Asked whether his city’s downtown needs them, Mayor Frank Campion said the upcoming budget process will involve a discussion about applying to the program.

“I am hoping council will support funding for this as it will be helpful in making our streets, residents and businesses safer,” he said recently, adding that a letter of support has been sent to the NRP regarding this matter.

NRP spokeswoman Stephanie Sabourin said St. Catharines has 28 cameras. Its city council recently voted to request another half-dozen.

Insp. Shawn Dowd, 1 District commander, recently told St. Catharines city council each camera costs $15,000.

Funding for the cameras has been a collaborative effort by the NRP, community partners and funding from the province, said Sabourin.

Provincial money comes from the Closed Circuit Television Grant Program, which covers 50 per cent of each successful project, said a release from the Ontario government.

This program and partnership with Niagara municipalities and the NRP is important because it “provides another layer of security” for residents and visitors, said Sabourin.

Sabourin said it operates in compliance with program guidelines as set out by the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

Examining footage is done on an incident-driven basis and through intelligence led crime prevention, said the NRP in a recent news release.