City of Fremantle proposes fixed number plate recognition with CCTV upgrade

CITY of Fremantle could be one of the first councils in Western Australia to install fixed number plate recognition cameras.

The finance, policy, operations and legislation committee voted in favour of the Fremantle CCTV Plan 2019-2023 last night.

As part of a Federal Government grant, the City of Fremantle is planning an upgrade to the current CCTV system to include an additional 25 fixed high definition CCTV cameras, two mobile CCTV trailers and future expansion of CCTV in surrounding suburbs at key locations.

The five automatic number plate cameras would be on Queen Victoria Street and Parry Street, High Street and Parry Street, Beach Street and Parry Street, South Terrace and Suffolk Street and Marine Terrace and Norfolk Street.

A report given to the committee said the cameras would scan the number plates of all vehicles that pass that location.

“For each plate read an evidential record is created for the vehicle compromising data (time, date and location) and images,” the report said.

“This record is only sent as a data file to Police who may then cross check the image against a Vehicle of Interest (VOI) register.

“The records are stored for 30 days and are deleted at the end of the period.

“Only WA Police will have access to the data.”

An officer confirmed that no facial recognition cameras would be used and if cameras would be installed with that function, it would have to go through council.

Councillor Sam Wainwright, who voted against the proposal, said he wasn’t against CCTV in general.

“CCTV can be used well… I’m using a cautionary principle,” he said.

The City will seek to receive gross vehicle numbers passing each point for analytical purposes.

The final decision will be made by Fremantle Council.