Police in Brampton deploy 360-degree cameras to fight crime

Brampton has installed 360-degree high-resolution cameras and automated license plate recognition technology at 50 intersections at a cost of $2 million, aiming to become what Mayor Patrick Brown calls "the most inconvenient place in the country to commit a crime." The cameras have assisted Peel Regional Police in more than 200 investigations over the past year spanning violent crime, hit-and-run collisions, auto theft, and extortions. Each camera uses four lenses providing a full picture and can capture incident date, time, license plate numbers, and vehicle details including make, model, and colour. The technology transmits in real time to Peel police's community safety operation centre, where officers monitor live feeds when notified of an incident. Deputy Chief Anthony Odoardi said police are not using the cameras for facial recognition or general surveillance, but for "situational awareness" and to "target the right people, those who commit crimes." Digital evidence from the cameras helped identify suspects in a domestic homicide and a shooting incident in a local park that resulted in immediate arrest. The community was consulted through a telephone town hall with just under 8,000 participants, of which about 84 per cent expressed support for the cameras.