Residential surveillance cameras are causing concern in the Town of Essex.
After receiving a number of complaints from residents about cameras being pointed in neighbouring yards, council is considering a bylaw to regulate the devices.
As it stands now, no rules are in place in the town when it comes to protecting privacy — municipalities like Windsor, Chatham-Kent and London have put bylaws in place.
Councillor Joe Garon brought the issue to council for discussion and says nothing can be enforced without a bylaw.
"It is going to be a bylaw that if we do adopt it it's going to be difficult to enforce, but we have other bylaws that are sometimes difficult to enforce as well, but without the bylaw we don't leave our bylaw enforcers or our police officers with anything to defend when they get a call from the residents."
Deputy mayor Richard Meloche says security cameras are becoming more affordable and it's time to get some rules in place.
"More and more so you're seeing surveillance cameras being used. Prices have come down. I, myself, have surveillance cameras around my house and I too believe that it would be an invasion of privacy if I had my cameras pointed primarily at neighbours' yards."
Councillor Sherry Bondy says cameras can be very helpful, but not if they're infringing on someone's privacy.
"Cameras for porch pirates, absolutely, but it sounds like we could have some peeping Toms. I think we have to dig into this. We have to see what other communities are doing, look at best practices and look at how we can ensure that our residents have some sense of privacy in their backyard."
On Monday night, council heard from one resident concerned about cameras pointed into her backyard where her children play — after contacting the town and the OPP she was told nothing could be done without a bylaw in place.
A report with options for council to consider is due back in the second quarter of 2021.