Speed enforcement cameras damaged in Guelph

At least two speed enforcement cameras were tipped over on the weekend. CTV’s Colton Wiens reports.

Police in Guelph are looking for the person or people who damaged automated speed enforcement cameras over the weekend.

On Sunday, police received a report about a damaged speed camera.

“We did get a report of one in the south end that had been knocked over,” Scott Tracey, spokesperson for the Guelph Police Service, said. “Since then, I’ve also learned, another one in the same south end neighbourhood apparently was knocked over as well sometime on the weekend.”

The speed enforcement camera in front of St. Paul Catholic School on Clairfields Drive East was still tipped over Tuesday morning and the camera’s housing appeared to be broken.

“I don’t know who would want to destroy it,” Kelvin Amichand, a Guelph resident, said.

Amichand lives near the Clairfields Drive East camera and said it is a needed feature in the community.

“It’s a good thing, because there’s a lot of speeders coming down in the school area,” Amichand said.

While he’s surprised to see it on the ground, he said it is the second time this has happened.

“I wish they put it on the electrical pole maybe - it might be safe there,” Amichand said.

Meanwhile, another camera by Sir Isaac Brock Public School on Colonial Drive was also on its side Tuesday morning.

Police said they are trying to figure out who is responsible.

“The criminal charge of mischief could be laid, certainly, if there’s damage,” Tracey said. “Even interfering with the use of the cameras - even if there’s no physical damage, it’s just knocked over and then stood back up. For the period that it’s knocked over, it’s of course not functioning as it’s intended to. So, there could be a charge of mischief for interfering with property as well in that case.”

According to the city, the automated speed enforcement cameras are maintained by a third party.

“While any act of vandalism, be it against the city or private property, is unfortunate, the city will work to ensure the cameras are quickly restored,” Steve Anderson, Manager of Transportation and Engineering Services for the City of Guelph, said in an email.

Tracey said the city tries to inform residents when and where the cameras are being placed in the city, but added just slowing down to the proper speed limit is one sure way to avoid the frustration of getting a ticket.

While the program can generate revenue for the city coffers, the focus is safety. Revenue is used to cover operating and maintenance costs, and any further revenue is placed in a reserve fund for other road safety initiatives.

“Certainly, it all comes out of the public purse at the end of the day,” Tracey said.

Police are looking for home security footage near where the cameras where damaged and they are asking the public to share any information that could help with the investigation.