KENSINGTON, P.E.I. — Kensington police are getting an upgraded camera system, after town council voted unanimously Monday to replace the department’s aging system.
Combat Computers will supply and install the equipment and the total cost, which will come from the capital budget, is $24,190, plus HST.
“We have had them all along, but the system is quite old and has not been working properly,” said police chief Lewie Sutherland, who made a request to council for the new equipment. “This system is quite an upgrade to what we have.”
Five new cameras will be installed throughout the core area of the town. Sutherland added cameras will be placed in a couple of different locations where they are needed.
“These cameras are really, really good,” added Sutherland.
There will also be a new camera system going into the police department’s interview room.
“That’s the critical one,” said Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley. “That’s one you need to have video and audio to monitor when you are doing an interview.”
The current system, which is 12 years old, has not been operational for the last three months. Interviews are currently being recorded using an iPhone, or officers are having to travel to the East Prince RCMP Detachment in North Bedeque to conduct interviews.
The new cameras, noted Sutherland, will assist police with gas station drive-offs and obtaining licence plate numbers when vehicles bump into others and drive off. The new system will provide greater detail and quality footage at night of the town’s main and busy intersection.
“It’s all recorded, so if there’s an accident there we can go back and look,” added Sutherland.
Benefits of the new camera system include up-to-date surveillance, a tool to assist the police with investigations, act as a deterrent to criminal behaviour and updated audio and video recording in the police’s interview room.
“It’s surprising how many times we have situations where we have accidents, or somebody is saying say something took place, and you look at the camera and find that’s not exactly it,” said Caseley.
Other projects
Council also voted unanimously to approve a permit for the Kensington Co-op Country Store to construct an open lean-to structure that will allow for the placement of products for a community-type market. The new structure will go in the front yard of the property. The estimated value of construction is $3,500.
The project is now awaiting provincial approval before construction can begin.
Council also unanimously passed a motion to award a contract to Curran & Briggs Limited for $26,410, plus HST to pave the senior centre’s parking area near Credit Union Centre and the ballfields. This project will be funded through the Rural Municipality of Malpeque Gas Tax Funds.
Councillors Wade Toombs, Jeff Spencer, Rodney Mann and Coreen Pickering, who is deputy mayor, all voted in favour of the three motions. Councillors Adrien Bernard and Ivan Gallant were absent from Monday’s meeting.
