Camera IconCCTV Policy revisit for Vincent to address emerging technology in cameras and safety. Credit: SuppliedAI and facial recognition technology considered as Vincent upgrades CCTV Policy for the first time in 16 yearsSophie GannonPerthNow - Central1 August 2026, 2:07amCopy linkShare storyArtificial intelligence could be used to prevent banned people entering council properties.The City of Vincent is updating its 2010 CCTV policy to incorporate new technologies such as artificial intelligence, biometrics, body-worn cameras and vehicle-mounted cameras, and to comply with new privacy legislation.A council report said a new policy was needed because “while CCTV systems, coverage and practices have evolved, the CCTV policy has not”.Executive manager information and communications technology Anthony Wishart told the council’s July agenda briefing the city was exploring AI for community safety applications, including drowning detection at Beatty Park Leisure Centre and “proactive crime identification”, such as identifying bicycles being stolen by detecting the use of angle grinders.The draft policy allows for biometric identification technology in limited circumstances.Mr Wishart told the meeting that it could be used for “identifying banned individuals from entering or at the point in which they attempt to enter a city facility”.He said the city “would not expand the use of that biometric identification to locations outside of those specific city buildings” without bringing a new proposal back to the council.The revised policy also introduces rules about body-worn cameras used by city officers.Where recordings occur inside private residences, officers will be required to verbally notify occupants “where safe and responsible to do so” if they are being recorded.Mr Wishart said the changes were needed to ensure compliance with the Surveillance Devices Act, which has “quite specific requirements in there in relation to the use of camera and other recording devices within private residences”.Camera IconFace Off. Police are trialling facial recognition software for public rollout. Ben Harvey attends a simulated exercise at the Police Academy in Joondalup. Stuart Quinn Credit: Stuart Quinn/The West AustralianMayor Alison Xamon said she wanted to make sure artificial intelligence, particularly around facial recognition, was not “abused”.“For example, against genuine political expression, those sorts of things,” she said.“It’s one of those areas I think we’re going to need to keep very close eye on and I think its transparency is a key part of that.”WA Police have recently rolled out a Live Facial Recognition Technology trial, which uses cameras to detect faces in real time to help identify and locate identified persons of interest and to protect vulnerable people.Vincent has a publicly available map of the location of all public CCTV cameras in the city.Public consultation on the draft policy can be submitted online, in person, or via phone until 4pm August 18.‘Unfair’: Locals outraged as council hikes rates by 40.9%<img src="https://images.perthnow.com.au/publication/C-22448032/a5c97a9bf4d1421d849583e31959c723ea95df0e-4x3-x9y0w1707h1280.jpg?imwidth=194&impolicy=pn_v3" alt="The City of Vincent have approved rate hikes for short-term rental accommodation and long-term vacant property owners." class="css-tl044d-StyledNoScriptImage-StyledImage eu9mom10" />South Perth council finally tighten mayoral vehicle policy<img src="https://images.perthnow.com.au/publication/C-22612461/c4584fb04fcc6f7206bc1c418f903d28c9756bba-4x3-x222y0w3556h2667.jpg?imwidth=194&impolicy=pn_v3" alt="City of South Perth Mayor Greg Milner has been provided a mayoral vehicle since 2019 and according to council records he had recorded more than 32,000km in travel up to 2024." class="css-tl044d-StyledNoScriptImage-StyledImage eu9mom10" />Kids dodge fines after ‘unwanted’ fishing at Perth lake<img src="https://images.perthnow.com.au/publication/C-22634780/3254127666bc5d45eb90f6ced7801097fb9a9e8c-4x3-x251y0w4000h3000.jpg?imwidth=194&impolicy=pn_v3" alt="An Australian Pied Cormorant is pictured warming itself at Galup this morning where the temperature was around 4 degress at 7:45am. Michael Wilson" class="css-tl044d-StyledNoScriptImage-StyledImage eu9mom10" />Copy linkShare story