A push for added surveillance and regional security is continuing in the city of Kitchener, with Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) having officially installed two closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras near Fairview Park Mall.
The new cameras come after city councillors approved the use of city infrastructure to accommodate those cameras back in April, making it the second municipality, at the time, to do so.
The new CCTV cameras and automated licence plate recognition (ALPR) systems have been installed at two key areas near the local mall, including Fairway Road and Wilson Avenue, as well as Fairway Road and Highway 8.
This now brings the total number of those CCTV cameras set up across the region up to 12.
“CCTV and ALPR systems provide WRPS officers with an additional tool to support investigations and enhance public safety,” said WRPS on its website.
“In the event of a crime or major incident, officers can review footage and data from these systems to gather evidence from the surrounding area.”
Four cameras have been installed in Cambridge, two in North Dumfries, four in Waterloo, and now two in Kitchener.
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As for the remaining townships, Wilmot Township previously voted against moving forward with any cameras, while Wellesley and Woolwich have yet to make formal decisions regarding the matter.
Originally, when WRPS began pitching the camera systems across the region, they planned to have 10 cameras total throughout Waterloo Region, with 2 cameras in each of the Tri-Cities and one per area township.
WRPS has stated that the cameras will be used in limited situations where there is a “legitimate law enforcement purpose,” being used to gather evidence, identify suspects, and respond to incidents.
“In most cases, officers review historical (recorded) footage after an incident to support investigations,” said WRPS.
“Access to live footage is limited and is only used in specific, high-priority situations, such as major or unfolding incidents, where real-time information is necessary to support public and officer safety.
The full list of installed CCTV cameras across Waterloo Region can be found on the WRPS website.
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