Give Surrey police full access to security cameras: Annis

A Surrey councilor is pushing to give the Surrey Police Service better access the city’s 500 traffic cameras to fight crime.

Surrey First Coun. Linda Annis, who is also running for mayor says the SPS only has access to the city’s cameras after making a formal request to City Hall.

“At the same time, those traffic cameras are not monitored 24/7, something we need to change if we want to put that technology to work so that it can help us fight crime,” said Annis. “It makes sense to operate and monitor those 500 cameras 24/7 and have a police officer as part of that monitoring team. Those cameras can do a lot more than just monitor traffic jams, and we need that sort of help right away.”

Annis also wants the provincial government to help fund more public safety cameras.

Annis said the city has limited police access to the cameras citing privacy concerns, but she believes we need to think out of the box when it comes to public safety and put the cameras to work fighting crime.

“In London, there are almost one million CCTV cameras including public and private cameras that monitor streets, homes, businesses, and transportation,” said Annis. “The average Londoner is on camera about 70 times per day, but the value to public safety is incredible.”