Pilot project capturing downtown Windsor activity
There are a lot of cameras in the downtown area with Windsor police having leaned on many for footage to assist their investigations.
“That's happened a couple of times as recent as last week, an unfortunate assault that took place in the downtown,” said Stephen MacKenzie, CEO of Invest Windsor-Essex.
Mayor Drew Dilkens points to the success of Detroit's Crime Centre.
“We want the entire city to be safe,” Dilkens said. “There is no doubt camera technology is part of that solution and we're looking very actively on how we can develop a real-time crime centre that will help the city provide the safety and security that residents need and deserve.”
A pilot project between ACS Security and downtown businesses has proven real-time cameras work.
“Compared to last year, 2022, within the same time frame that there was almost 270 incidents within a small block radius that we monitor and patrol and compared to this year we've reduced that by almost 60-70 percent,” said, Hassan Hammoud, vice president of Operations.
With 4k resolution and high end digital zoom quality the cameras have both detect and follow capabilities allowing for critical surveillance.
“We've seen weapon wielding individuals,” Hammoud said. “We've notified police immediately on those cases. We've seen people try to break into businesses that we service. We've seen individuals deal narcotics.”
ACS Security’s pro-active approach has helped report over 70 incidents to Windsor police in the last couple of months.
“We're not going to completely eradicate crime but we are going to mediate it as much as possible,” Hammoud said.
The company guarantees data collected is private and protected which puts city Coun. Renaldo Agostino at ease.
“People need to feel they know they're not being constantly followed and watched,” said Agostino who would like to see this project implemented across the city.
“Whatever we can do to expedite the process of being able to support Windsor Police in this manner I think we should do.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.