Downtown Kelowna businesses asked to register security cameras with police

A pilot program will try to link downtown Kelowna business security cameras to RCMP investigators.

Members of the Downtown Kelowna Association are being asked to voluntarily register the location of their security cameras which will be put into the City's secure database, according to a City of Kelowna media release.

Right now, if a crime is committed, RCMP officers have to physically check on whether there are security cameras that might help in their investigations.

“If an incident occurs, the RCMP can identify registered CCTV cameras in the area and ask camera owners if the footage can be secured to provide sometimes pivotal evidence faster,” director of community safety Darren Caul said in media release.

The effort has been reviewed and cleared by the Privacy Commissioner Office of B.C., the City said.

The locations of the City's surveillance cameras will also go into the database.

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