When the mass shooting occurred at the Danzig Street public housing complex in Scarborough in mid-July, it came to light that the entire complex has no security surveillance cameras.

Now the Toronto Sun has checked out some other community housing facilities and has found that in other buildings. Cameras are broken, the lens spray-painted over or the cameras are positioned in such a way that if a crime were committed, you'd never be able to identify the culprits.

Homicide Detective Paul Worden is among the murder investigators expressing frustration, pointing out that surveillance footage is crucial, being that it's one of their main investigative tools.

Even in buildings where cameras are working, police have trouble even getting their hands on the footage from staff. They're reluctant to turn it over or don't know how to retrieve it because they are security guards and not IT staff.

Some also malfunction because they are left in hot rooms or direct sunlight.

At the TCHC board's last meeting on July 25, Councillor Frances Nunziata put forward a motion to have 24-hour security at troubled buildings as well as, cameras installed in all of them.

(Files by D. Agar)