Audit questions value of 1,000-plus city cameras, recommends tiered standards and review of staffing model

Audit staff reported the city operates "just over 1000 cameras in use" across municipal facilities and that the camera program carries annual IT and storage costs (about $350,000), a $200,000 annual on-site support contract and roughly $60,000 in internal staffing allocations. Auditors said average replacement cost for a camera is about $1,300 and the typical camera life is three to five years.

Committee members and staff questioned how often footage is used: one staff member said the police used about a dozen clips and only a smaller number became evidence in court. Auditors recommended facilities develop tiered camera-selection standards requiring departments to consider security risk, intended operational use and total lifecycle cost before deploying enterprise-connected cameras; they also recommended evaluating hybrid or on-call support models instead of a full-time on-site contractor for every location.

Officials said work is underway to review and deactivate cameras that are not operationally necessary and to develop a strategic plan for system support and standards, with an implementation target for camera-review policies in early 2027.