People may wonder if we will ever see surveillance cameras on South Bayview. The city is seemingly paralyzed on the issue, perhaps influenced by the odd thinking of some who believe authorities are spying on them. Paranoia. The news from St. Catharines tells a different story where the community is marking a productive year following the placement of 26-closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) on utility poles at downtown locations last August. It was a move roundly endorsed by the business associations and police. Predictably, it has proven what is already known in towns and cities all around the world. CCTV cameras make the streets safer for everyone. And, as the St. Catharines police found recently, they make it much easier to administer policing. Did the cyclist or the driver run a red light? The cameras tell all. It is a such sensible and benign contribution to our general well-being. Children, seniors, businesses — just think of the people who are safer with CCTV. When will neighborhoods like ours benefit from this useful and relatively inexpensive form of protection?
