Regional police CCTV cameras won’t be installed in Wilmot

Police-operated CCTV cameras won’t be installed in Wilmot for now.

Regional police are currently negotiating with the municipalities around Waterloo Region, asking that they be allowed to install CCTV cameras in public spaces to aid investigations.

The cameras, if installed, would not be used as a live feed; they would be accessed retroactively as a tool for investigations, and any unused footage would be deleted after 30 days if it isn’t part of an active investigation.

Wilmot council discussed the issue at a regular council meeting on Monday, but decided to postpone making a decision on the matter indefinitely.

“I don’t know that I want us to be the guinea pigs on this project, but in the future, perhaps this is something to be reevaluate,” said Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen.

In December, the City of Waterloo council became the first in the region to approve the installation of police-operated CCTV cameras.

Councillors in Wilmot claimed that, when it comes to crime, the issues facing cities like Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge aren’t affecting the townships to the same degree, meaning CCTV cameras may not be as necessary.

“I think there are risks, protocols that we’re unaware of, what the potential breaches or breach response could look like, and ultimately, we have no control over the oversight,” said Wilmot Councillor Kris Wilkinson.

Wilkinson claimed that, through his own research, he believes that the scope of what these cameras are capable of and tasked to do could change drastically.

“That, to me, raises concerns,” said Wilkinson. “I think the general public are due a certain level of privacy in their lives. There are little things and little infractions that may occur that don’t necessarily require investigation or a ticket, and I fear that this could lead down that path.”

Salonen noted that, in postponing a decision on the matter, a future council may choose to reconsider the implementation of the CCTV camera program without a majority vote.

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