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Saying it will help police investigate crimes better and faster, the Ontario Provincial Police in Essex County have launched an initiative to map the locations of home and business surveillance cameras.
“CAMsafe empowers residents and business owners to partner with police in a modern, voluntary, and privacy-conscious way,” Essex County OPP Supt. Mark Loucas told the Star.
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The aim of CAMsafe, a technology-based community safety resource, is to build a database “that may function as a resource for police when investigating offences and crimes,” according to police officials.
Now the OPP are asking the owners of such devices in the communities they patrol to volunteer to sign up.
“By registering the location of their video surveillance cameras, participants are helping to create a secure, searchable map that allows police to identify potential sources of video evidence when investigating crimes,” Loucas said.
“This greatly enhances our ability to respond efficiently and effectively during investigations.”
The CAMsafe database will provide officers with a map of an area showing the location of registered participants. Officers can then click on the address to view further details, such as property owner contact information.
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Loucas said CAMsafe will save police valuable time by reducing the need for door-to-door canvassing after an incident.
“It allows officers to quickly contact camera owners in a specific area where an incident occurred,” he said. “For residents, it’s an opportunity to contribute to community safety without giving up control over their surveillance footage.
“It can also serve as a deterrent to crime in areas where participation is high.”
Police may request footage for a variety of reasons, including if a crime is committed, a person is missing or there’s suspicious activity in an area.
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Officials said officers will not be able to access security cameras or cloud-based accounts to examine camera footage unless a request to the property owner is made.
“This is a voluntary registry,” Loucas said. “Police do not have direct access to any camera or live feed.
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“The registry simply allows officers to know where cameras are located. If an incident occurs nearby, an officer may contact the registrant to ask if they are willing to review their footage or share a recording.”
To register, residents are required to provide basic contact information and camera location. They can also include more details, if desired, such as direction the camera faces, footage retention details or screenshots of the camera view.
Registrants can only view their own information and can delete their account or change their information at any time, according to police.
All residents and businesses in Essex County municipalities policed by the OPP are eligible to register their cameras. OPP provide policing in the municipalities of Lakeshore, Tecumseh, Essex, Kingsville, Leamington and Pelee Island.
To learn more about the CAMsafe program or to register security cameras, visit camsafe.ca.
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Loucas said the registry is used exclusively for investigative purposes.
“Any footage shared with police will be treated as evidence and handled according to standard investigative procedures.”
In most cases, he added, the surveillance footage is sufficient if a case goes to court. However, as with any evidence, there may be occasions where a homeowner could be asked to attend court to authenticate the footage or provide context.
“That said, this is not typical and would depend on the nature of the investigation and legal proceedings,” Loucas said.
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