multigenerational family walking along sidewalk

Project IRIS

Support community safety in Surrey by registering your external security camera with Project IRIS and help provide potential evidence if an incident occurs in your area.

Project IRIS (Integrated Resources for Investigations and Safety) is the City’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera registry. Project IRIS is a database that lists the location of external security cameras owned by residents and businesses in Surrey to help police solve crimes and aid in important investigations.

If you have a security camera outside of your home or business, you can register your camera. 

  • Registration is voluntary and easy.
  • All information is confidential and secure.
  • You can withdraw from the program at any time.

Eligible Cameras

All types of cameras that record footage that can be retrieved and replayed are eligible for Project IRIS.

If your camera only displays live footage, it is ineligible.

Register Your Camera

 

How Registering for Project IRIS Helps

Project IRIS was developed to help police investigate criminal activities and important investigations more quickly and efficiently.

When an incident occurs, police canvass surrounding neighbourhoods and properties for camera footage that may have captured images that could support an investigation. This process can take a significant amount of police time and resources.

Project IRIS:

  • Gives residents and businesses the opportunity to directly support community safety in their community.
  • Supports police so they can conduct investigations more quickly and efficiently.
  • Helps keep footage off social media, which can hinder investigations.

“It’s a great way for neighbours to help neighbours. An incident could occur in the neighbourhood, and a collection of footage could help solve the incident”. – Chasen, Surrey resident

How Project IRIS Works

  1. Police contact the City of Surrey when an incident occurs and advises they’re looking for footage as part of a police investigation.
  2. The City provides the police with a list of security cameras located in the incident area.
  3. The police contact the camera owner(s) directly to request their footage.
  4. Owner(s) provide relevant footage directly to the police, at their own discretion, on a case-by-case basis. Police do not have access to your footage without your consent.

 

Note: Incidents can vary anywhere from a bicycle leaving a mark on a parked car, to thefts and vandalism, or missing persons.

Respecting Privacy

The City manages the database

The registry of camera locations is confidential and managed by the City using robust security protocols. Information about your address or cameras is not shared publicly.

Police must request a database search

The police do not have direct access to your footage. During an incident investigation, police may contact an authorized City administrator to request a search for Project IRIS camera locations and contact information.

Police must ask your permission to view and use footage from your cameras

Police will directly contact registered camera owners to determine if they have any footage that they would be willing to share after an incident occurs.

Withdrawing from Project IRIS

Registration with Project IRIS and continual involvement is voluntary. You can withdraw your registration at any time. Just email projectiris@surrey.ca and ask to be removed from the registry.