City of White Rock mulling CCTV cameras for public safety

The City of White Rock is considering adding CCTV cameras in public places to increase public safety and deter crime.

The use of CCTV cameras in public spaces has been a controversial topic in the past, but for some in White Rock, it is a needed addition to public spaces.

“CCTVs is the way we’re going and there is nothing wrong with that, ” Adam Irvine said, a White Rock resident.

“It’s actually a public space, so everyone sees you anyways when you’re out walking around, so I don’t see a problem putting in cameras,” Cheryl McIlhargey said, another White Rock resident.

Residents might be for it, but White Rock’s city council is still debating the cameras.

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Councillor Christopher Trevelyan supports the idea, while two others and the mayor do not.

“What prompted me to bring it up dates back to 2022, when there was a large gathering of young people who got into violent fights,” he said. “It took the police until 3 or 4 a.m. to break it up and that would have been a useful tool.”

The installation of the extensive network of cameras along the waterfront and uptown areas will likely hinge on cost and effectiveness.

City staff are working with the RCMP to determine “critical areas” and have opened bids from contractors.

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Global News spoke with some uptown residents who said they are in favour.

“There have been several gang shootings (lately) and it’s sad that these are the times we’re living in,” Nicole Morgan said. “It just gives you a sense of safety.”

In 2018, White Rock installed a camera watching over the five corners neighborhood after the rainbow crosswalk was vandalized several times.

Several other municipalities in B.C. use CCTV cameras for road safety, traffic management or public safety including Surrey, Kelowna, Richmond and Vancouver.

But in 2022, Vancouver’s council shot down a motion to add more surveillance cameras to city streets.

White Rock councilors will be holding a vote once a final report goes to council.