The Downtown Windsor BIA has dedicated $50,000 to expand Project Greenlight in downtown Windsor.
To date, over 21 downtown businesses have been approved by the City of Windsor for installation of cameras.
The city has a $450,000 budget through a partnership with Security One for the purchase and installation of the cameras.
Now the BIA is offering to cover the operating costs of one camera for one year for all downtown businesses that sign up for the program.
Dustin Vermast with Security One indicates the system offers much more than a traditional security camera.
"What the video and the AI capabilities and the virtual guard capabilities that these cameras do, it stops loitering, it stops vandalism, it stops trespassing while it's happening," said Vermast.
Each business can select its own response but if the camera detects someone where they should not be, it can broadcast a message through the system.
The AI response could be something like "Hey! You by the car on the sidewalk, this area is private property. You in the light grey sweater and light blue pants I see you standing there, this means you too. Move on now or police will be called."
Vermast said it can simply encourage people to move on, but can also escalate to calling police depending on the package the business selects.
Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino is hopeful the project will help to reduce crime throughout downtown.
"The alleyways to me are so important, protecting the alleyways and Maiden Lane, that's where I tend to see a lot of issues," said Agostino.
