Canadian Government Executive - Volume 27 - Issue 02

6 / Canadian Government Executive // March/April 2021 SMART CITIES BY KEITH D’SA SURVEILLANCE SOLUTIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY INTEROPERABILITY IN SAFE, SMART CITY DESIGNS: P eople make up communities, and with increased urbaniza- tion and overcrowding, we see more movement, more action, and more life. While most cit- ies have measures to protect their residents from violence, crime, pollution, and natu- ral disasters, some of the existing security- focused solutions at play are not as effective. To maintain a quality of living and well- being, Canadian cities ought to evolve with the changing needs associated with public safety, urban mobility, and environmental monitoring. The panacea to this problem is a united front consisting of city authorities, government, law enforcement, and other professionals all working together for the good of all citizens. That’s not the only form of commitment required to safeguard peo- ple, we also need to supplement or update our current surveillance systems with ad- ditional IoT sensors, cameras, and analytics to help communities greatly improve public safety in the following areas. Urban or rural, no matter the landscape, it’s expected that Canadians in all parts of the country should feel safe in their communities.