Frontline RCMP officers across Canada will begin wearing body-worn cameras November 20 as part of a nationwide rollout aimed at improving transparency, accountability and evidence collection.
Cameras will be mounted centrally on officers’ vests and activated during incidents involving calls for service, evidence collection or potential conflict.
The technology includes a digital evidence management system, with footage downloaded at the end of each shift.
Videos are reviewed, categorized and retained based on the nature of the incident. For minor cases without charges, data is typically stored for up to two years, while evidence linked to serious offenses is retained longer.
It costs $3,000 annually for the maintenance of each member’s camera and officers will be mandated to record every interaction with the public as long as there isn’t a privacy breech or a sensitive situation. Failure could result in disciplinary actions being taken.
While the primary purpose of the recordings may be for court use, supervisors can also review footage to resolve disputes, reinforcing trust between police and the community.
Members of the public who may have an interaction with the police can request footage of the interaction through the Privacy Act but there isn’t a guarantee that recordings will be released.
Videos from each body camera are collected and stored on Axon, a cloud-based system provided by the manufacturer of the camera but will be managed by the RCMP.
Brian Sauvé, president and CEO of the National Police Federation, said Canada’s largest police union has long advocated for body cameras.
“Our members have become all too familiar with being scrutinized by the public and these cameras will allow for increased transparency and trust between our Members and their communities,”
Overall, he said, the footage should make court proceedings more efficient and increase officers’ accountability when dealing with the public.
“A picture says a thousand words, and when we show a video that is impartial, that can help tell the tale of what has occurred, it is a tremendous advantage,”
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