Ontario NDP encourages Hamilton police to do public consultation amid drone concerns

Ontario's New Democratic Party (NDP) is encouraging Hamilton Police Service (HPS) to do "meaningful public consultation and assessment" amid privacy concerns about its drone program.

"Hamilton residents deserve to feel safe in their community and deserve to have full information about programs that impact them," read a statement from the party to CBC Hamilton.

"We all need to work together to ensure that every possible measure is being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities — and done in a way that is fully transparent with the input of the residents."

CBC Hamilton contacted Hamilton-area MPPs for interviews about growing concerns related to Hamilton police drones.

Donna Skelly, the Ontario Progressive Conservative member of provincial parliament for Flamborough—Glanbrook, said MPPs "do not direct the police" and deferred to the police chief and the board.

Oher MPPs didn't respond.

Police board to get update in late May

A CBC Hamilton investigation in late April revealed details about when, how and why police use drones.

It prompted privacy researchers to point out "red flags" in the program including a lack of transparency and gaps in its privacy impact assessment.

Since then, some community groups and leaders have voiced concerns about the program, while others have said the benefits outweigh a potential invasion of privacy.

Some criticism was pointed at the police services board and lawmakers, with people saying neither is holding the service accountable.

The statement from Ontario's NDP comes days after Pat Mandy, HPS board chair, said the service would provide an update about the drone program on May 25.

"To date, the board has not been made aware of any concerns relating to the HPS [drone] program," Mandy previously said in a statement.

Hamilton police is one of numerous police services in the province and across the country using drones.

HPS actually took an extra step some other nearby police services didn't take by conducting a privacy impact assessment.