CAMERAS CURB DRUG DEALING, COPS INSIST

Commission Slams Robot-Cam Project

Montreal police have failed to justify the use of surveillance cameras to
curb drug deals on St. Denis St., the Quebec Access to Information
Commission says.

The commission yesterday slammed the Robot-Cam surveillance - a pilot
project in effect from May 1 to Aug. 31, 2004 - as ill-conceived and poorly
executed.

But police say the surveillance cameras could be powered up again this
summer, if needed.

"In our opinion, they gave results," assistant police director Yves
Charette said yesterday.

"The majority of merchants and residents said there was improvement."

Round-the-clock surveillance and taping on St. Denis reduced drug-related
crime - assaults, robberies and property damage - by 30 per cent, Charette
said.

It's a crime-prevention message that might have missed its mark at the
Access to Information Commission, he conceded.

"Perhaps we didn't demonstrate the results clearly enough to the commission."

In a report made public yesterday, the commission cited numerous problems:

- - Drug infractions were already on the decline prior to the surveillance
project.

- - Police did not appear to have considered alternate solutions.

- - Surveillance and taping went on too long, and the public was poorly informed.

- - An internal review of the project was imprecise and did not detail the
impact on neighbouring streets.

A decision on whether to reactivate video cameras on St. Denis will be made
in the near future, Charette said.

On the Web:

www.cai.gouv.qc.ca

www.spcum.qc.ca