Crime centre being discussed for City of Windsor

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens believes paying a visit to the Detroit Police Department’s Real-Time Crime Centre is worth the trip.

In 2016, nearly $8 million was allocated to the building of the Real Time Crime Centre in Detroit. Dilkens would like to explore the possibility of bringing elements of that crime centre to the City of Windsor.

“It’s gonna take some time, and it’s gonna take some money,” Dilkens said.

He told CTV News Windsor Police Chief Jason Bellaire and senior police administration have been over to Detroit.

“They’ve seen the real time crime centre in operation. They see some value in that so we’re exploring how we can bring something like that to the City of Windsor,” he explained.

A crime centre like the one in Detroit is believed to help police fight crime faster using technology.

“That uses private property cameras to be able to allow police to better respond, to respond with better information and actually help act as a deterrent to crime and provide better safety in areas around our city,” Dilkens explained.

Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino looks at the idea of the centre as a tool to help the community.

“I don’t like to look at the idea as like a crime fighting thing. It’s a support thing, said Agostino. “More eyes to bring help to people whether it’s people suffering from mental Illness or if it’s a criminal activity or if it’s a kid that got hit by a car. There’s kinds of different things that the project is so beneficial.”

Agostino said a crime centre would add value to what is already being done and is in the works for the downtown core.

“There’s gonna be some more announcements this week of changes downtown that are gonna help people, not just the businesses, the citizens, but help the people that are in need,” he said.

Dilkens wants to make sure the chosen model will be scalable throughout the city and complies with Canadian legislation.

“It’s time that we start using the technology we have to provide better and more efficient responses and certainly provide a level of safety to the people in this city who deserve that,” Dilkens said.