City won't be Big Brother
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Updated: July 17, 2009 4:51 PM
City officials insist the only Big Brother around Kamloops will be the one seen on TV screens this summer.
This after one councillor questioned new amendments to the city’s video-surveillance policy.
Coun. Denis Walsh took issue with a portion of the amendment that allows the city to undertake covert video surveillance for the protection of its own property, if such a video is essential to a successful investigation.
“To me, this is the creepiest thing I’ve heard,” he said while criticizing the new policy as “problematic.”
Randy Diehl, the city’s chief administrative officer, said there are situations in which the city from will want the ability to videotape people.
He said it will be under strict conditions related to theft or
vandalism taking place over time.
Walsh said he didn’t understand why the city would get involved in surveillance, suggesting such videos could open the city up to lawsuits.
But city staff defended the policy changes, contending it will make the guidelines for video surveillance more stringent.
The changes come after a review of the city’s policy by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commission (OIPC).
The OIPC instructed the policy include a checklist before any video cameras are used.
OIPC has said public bodies have to be prepared to defend why surveillance is the most-effective means, based on reports of crime, public safety concerns or “other compelling circumstances.”
There are only a couple of video cameras on city property, including one at NorBrock Stadium to help curb vandalism.
Coun. John O’Fee supported the changes and argued the word covert was being taken out of context.
“It’s not like we’re going to throw cameras around willy-nilly to spy on people,” he said.
O’Fee said video could act
as an investigative tool and would only be used as a last resort.
Walsh, who along with Coun. Nancy Bepple voted against the changes, said he understands putting video cameras in public places as a deterrent for crime.
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