Should Yellowknife's pool have security cameras, councillor asks after 'inappropriate' incident

A Yellowknife city councillor is asking whether the pool should get security cameras afterRCMPresponded to an incident involving "inappropriate behaviour" earlier this month.

Coun. Adrian Bell asked the question at the city's municipal services committee meeting on Monday. There are currently no security cameras at the pool.

"The question is, is the solution to [this incident] a camera?" Bell asked. "Or is there some other solution that would be considered?"

• Yellowknife security cameras go offline following reports city staff abused their use
• Encrypted surveillance video may solve Yellowknife's security camera woes: former privacy commissioner

It's unclear what the incident was. Pool staff were "made aware of the behaviour of one patron and notified theRCMP," stated the cityin an email.

RCMPconfirmed toCBCNews that they received a report of "an alleged suspicious person" at a public facilityon Aug.11. According toRCMPspokesperson MarieYork-Condon, police were given a description of the person but they were not found.

The city's senior administrative officer SheilaBassi-Kellettwas apprehensive about potentially installing cameras until she better understood the need to have one.

Security cameras don't always do a lot.- Rebecca Alty, city councillor

She said currently there are security policies at the pool, which include staff reporting inappropriate behaviour to a supervisor and callingRCMP.

"It's a real balancing act," she said. "We really want to make sure that we balance safety and security, with ensuring the protection of privacy for residents as well."

A new security camera policy was established in February, following allegations they were misused by the head of municipal enforcement.

• Security cameras back on in Yellowknife, new policy adopted

According to the policy, a security camera system must only be established and used when "it is demonstrablynecessary to address a specific issue the loss of privacy is proportional to the need to address the specific issue [and] there are no feasible less privacy-invasive ways of addressing the specific issue."

Bassi-Kellettoldcouncillorsto keep some questions in mind: "What is the problem that we're ... seeking to address by installing a camera, and is the camera the best solution to doing so?"

The policy notes cameras can'tbe used in areas where privacy is expected, such as change rooms and washrooms.

If installed, the cameras would point toward the entrance of the pool, and only capture people coming and going.

Councillorswere mixed on whether this would be useful or not.

"Security cameras don't always do a lot," saidCoun. Rebecca Alty.

"If we're really looking to get some good technology to be able to help in cases where there may be an incident, they'd have to make sure that we're purchasing security cameras that are going to meet our needs."

Alty suggested the city should consult withRCMPfor tips on how it could better help future investigations into incidents at the pool.

"Jumping to security cameras might not be the solution to help theRCMP."

Camera could help find offenders

Coun. Steve Payne disagreed.

Payne said it could be usefulto have footage of people coming in and outof the building.

"I'm pretty sure that theRCMPwould accept that footage rather than having none," he said.

In Mayfirefighters andRCMPwere called to the pool after a toilet paper dispenser was set on fire in the women's change room.

• Fire in women's change room at Yellowknife pool deemed suspicious

"A camera in the lobby probably would have helped pinpoint who that person may have been [who set the fire]," saidCoun.NielsKonge.

Coun.Bell will now decide whether he wants to put amotion forward to council to install a camera.