The age-old question of privacy vs. security came to the forefront at Westlock town council last week as several local business owners, who have been the hardest hit by crime in the region, called on council and the RCMP to do something about it.
They’re frustrated, and rightly so. Ehreth Horinek is one of them. His suggestion is to install surveillance cameras on each end of town to see who is coming and going at night, especially during the time there are no RCMP on patrol in the town.
His businesses have been hit numerous times and he estimates he’s spent $200,000 repairing damages related to break-in and thefts. He’s been robbed of two boats and has had to install new gates several times because they have been broken through by criminals. And he’s not nearly the only one.
Despite numbers from the RCMP that show thefts, break-ins and possession of stolen property crimes in the town are essentially static over the last four years, the perception that crime is on the rise recently is prevalent.
Is that enough though, to turn the town into a surveillance state?
Maybe. Our movements, purchases and online search histories are already collected, catalogued and scrutinized. We are already caught on camera numerous times in a day, so what’s the big deal with another few cameras to capture criminals?
Remember the Benjamin Franklin quote: “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
To that Horinek would respond, as many who argue in favour of increased surveillance do, that if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t have a problem being surveilled.
Questions remain though. Who would operate such a system? The town? The RCMP? A private company? And who would pay for it?
How long would footage be kept? And who has access to that footage, your neighbour?
Your insurance company? Your doctor?
Surveillance can surely be helpful when it comes to fighting crime and business owners in town are running out of options, but we have to be careful.
If cameras are indeed that solution, we need to think long and hard about the consequences before putting that plan into action.
