Smile — in the downtown region of Fredericton, there might be a chance you’re on camera.
That chance is going to increase with a new project the City of Fredericton is championing in partnership with the local business community and the city’s police force.
Fredericton Integrated Camera System will have several cameras, through close circuit television, set up in the downtown area in the coming months.
Downtown Fredericton Inc is contributing $60,000 toward five cameras for the downtown, according to General Manager Bruce McCormack.
“We’ve been working with the city police for quite some time, and have convinced them,” McCormack said.
“(We) partnered with them and Business Fredericton North to install some public safety cameras in our downtown for our visitors, our customers, our employees to feel safe, and that’s a big role for us to play.”
Public safety is one of the critical reasons for the implementation of the cameras.
“Over the next few years, we’ll be adding more cameras and getting our businesses involved,” he said.
McCormack said an initial pilot in Charlottetown, P.E.I., ended up with 140 cameras in total and that is likely the goal for Fredericton.
In a presentation to council in April, the Public Safety committee said there was $90,000 allocated from the city’s IT department. A total of $57,000 will be used to purchase the first five cameras at $7,000 per unit, not including the associated infrastructure.
The presentation said the cameras would help with major events in the city, allowing people to watch from home to assess parking and the best way to get to any major event.
It would be used for public safety, crowd control, real-time information for emergency dispatchers and first responders, and, in the event of a crime, to assist police in locating suspects.
Incoming Chief of Police Martin Gaudet said the use of technology will be something he will prioritize and hopes to initiate soon. He said Wednesday that the technology is “a force multiplier that helps reduce crime in our community.”
Gaudet said public safety is everyone’s responsibility.
“So, we must embrace technology, use intelligence-led policing, build on existing partnerships and seek opportunities for new ones, and enhance the role of community policing,” he said on Thursday.
He said not only do cameras deter crime, but it helps police monitor certain types of situations they become aware of, gather and store evidence and help in decision making.
Fredericton Chamber of Commerce CEO Krista Ross said the pilot project in P.E.I. actually helped reduce crime by 40 per cent.
She said the membership is supportive.
“I think it’s good for our groups to collaborate in ways that will support the business community as a whole,” she said of the collaboration between the city, police and the business community.
Ross said the important thing to remember is these cameras will be “passively monitored.” If something happens, it is a tool for businesses and police to refer back to.
“There is no facial recognition, no license plate recognition, it’s to help them identify what or who might be causing problems,” she said.
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