The addition of new security cameras in downtown Windsor is expected to help the Windsor Police Service, should officers need to request surveillance footage to aid an investigation.
Applications are now being accepted for 'Project Greenlight,' with the city providing up to $450,000 to help with the installation of up to 90 security cameras within the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Area as part of the Strengthen the Core initiative.
Under the program, businesses can access up to $5,000 to help purchase and install commercial-grade security cameras and video monitoring services, with each camera marked with a green blinking beacon to ensure public visibility.
The city and law enforcement will not be monitoring or have direct access to the video feed unless permission is granted.
Acting Deputy Chief of Operations Ken Cribley says it's standard operating procedure for officers when investigating a crime.
"Those requests are made pursuant to the investigation, lawfully, and where there's evidence contained, we'll seek application to be able to use that evidence," he says.
Cribley says knowing where the cameras are located will help with the time it takes to canvass an area for security footage.
"Sometimes video canvass can include blocks, several blocks of residential, commercial, and industrial complexes. In this case here, we'll know exactly where certain cameras, Project Greenlight cameras, are located. It takes the guesswork out of it to ask if someone has a camera," he says.
Cribley says cameras and video footage play such a big role in investigations.
"If something is captured on camera, it takes some of that guesswork away," he says.
Approved businesses will need to sign a contract with Security ONE Alarm Systems to maintain, operate, and monitor the cameras, which will have real-time monitoring capabilities, including two-way communication with sound and geofencing technology for potential trespass detection.
Eligible applicants include registered businesses and property owners who own or lease commercial space within the Downtown Windsor BIA and are in good standing with the City of Windsor.