POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 23 PANS in the community The Charlottetown Police Services use“passive monitoring’’of the cameras, meaning police officers generally will not be watching the camera images in real time unless there is a directed police use to do so. For example, if the police receive a call about someone stealing from cars in the area of an E-Watch camera, then that camera will be used to watch and gather evidence about the suspect until the police arrive on the scene. “Unless there is a reason to view it, people are not viewing it – and that’s a very important part of the strategy,’’ says MacConnell. “But if we have 2,000 or 3,000 people on Queen Street for Farm Day in the City it becomes very important for police to have situational awareness. So we’re always using the cameras at those times to better evaluate the situation.’’ He stresses that E-Watch cameras observe public spaces only, where courts have held there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. “Police have always been very conscious of the expectation of privacy and we believe in that too,’’ says MacConnell. “So where we place the cameras, there is always consideration given to that. We won’t put them where they can view anything that can’t be viewed from the street.’’ Policies and procedures on the use and disclosure of video recording are in accordance with the guidelines established by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Audits are conducted periodically to ensure compliance. “Certainly I can say that these cameras are governed very responsibly,’’ says MacConnell. Recordings are kept for 14 days, allowing police to investigate crimes reported within that time period in the areas where the cameras are situated. Recordings will not be reviewed or kept longer if no criminal activity has been reported. McPhail does applaud this practice. Charlottetown Police Services believes the presence of video surveillance cameras can have a positive effect on increasing public safety, adding early detection can lead to crime prevention. It's not the typical traffic disruption, but it is one that's become an annual sight for Charlottetown drivers. Lucy the duck successfully escorted her brood of ducklings across the busy University Avenue this morning with the assistance of the Charlottetown Police Service. Several people also gathered to watch the event and to take photos and videos. Lucy took her ducklings to the nearest wetland, behind the Farmers' Market that's just across the road. For the past eight years, Lucy the black duck has made her nest in the garden centre of the nearby Atlantic Superstore where she eventually lays her eggs. She usually builds her nest in the potted plant section, but has been known to use taller trees for privacy and protection. Many shoppers in the garden centre can pass Lucy by without notice, but her privacy wasn’t all it was “quacked” up to be this year — the Superstore and Ducks Unlimited partnered on a live camera so viewers could watch in anticipation of her baby ducks hatching. Lucy was expected to spend 28 days sitting on her eggs until they hatched, usually in early June. About 24 hours later, city police were alerted to help her and the babies make their move to the Ducks Unlimited Canada-restored wetlands on the other side. As originally published on Jun 6, 2017, The Guardian Why did the ducks cross the road in Charlottetown? continued
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