Public Safety Cameras

Surrey Police Service’s Public Safety Camera program is intended to support crime prevention, improve investigative capabilities and enhance community safety.

Surrey Police Service’s (SPS) Public Safety Camera program includes the use of trailers that serve as mobile video surveillance to investigate and deter criminal activity. SPS may also use Public Safety Cameras for major events, to support crowd management, public safety, and emergency response. The trailers are equipped with cameras that will only be used to monitor publicly accessible areas. These cameras are important tools for investigators and provide important benefits for community safety.

All camera views are restricted from recording inside private dwelling spaces or anywhere there is a “reasonable expectation of privacy”. Public safety cameras are being used solely to capture video recordings for public safety and law enforcement purposes only. Public safety cameras may be equipped with automated licence plate reader (ALPR) technology, which help police to identify and locate stolen vehicles. They will not be put in place to enforce speeding. They will not be equipped with facial recognition or biometric identification technology.

For more information, please contact Surrey Police Service at 604-599-0502.

Personal information collected by Public Safety Cameras is authorized under section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (BC).

Frequently Asked Questions

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How will this program work?

When the mobile trailer is installed in an area, police will use “passive monitoring” of the cameras. This means authorized SPS officers will not be watching the cameras 24/7, but rather video will be recorded. Police will use the video recordings to investigate and solved crimes if criminal activity is reported in the areas where these cameras are set-up. SPS officers will only monitor video in real time during reported situations.

Will video recordings be release publicly?

Recordings will not be released to the public or media unless required by law (disclosure to BC Prosecution Service or a Freedom of Information request) or approval has been obtained from the Chief Constable. On rare occasions, SPS may release a recording to the public that shows interactions with the public where a “compelling public interest” exists.

If I was recorded, can I access my video?

Recordings can only be released in accordance with Part 2 or Part 3 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. For more information, please contact the SPS Information, Privacy and Disclosure Unit.

Are these cameras going to catch me speeding in the area?

The Public Safety Camera program is not intended to enforce speeding infractions. However, should there be a motor vehicle incident, the cameras will be able to assist law enforcement with gathering necessary evidence. 

Do other police services utilize Public Safety Cameras?

While the programs may differ slightly, many police agencies in BC and Canada utilize mobile and stationary CCTV cameras to capture video evidence and help with crowd management at major events. Vancouver Police Department in BC as well as Toronto Police Department and Calgary Police are a few examples of large organizations that use Public Safety Camera programs.