The rollout of body cameras will begin on Nov. 18, 2024. A red light will flash on the camera to indicate it is recording.( photo/ RCMP)

By Kenneth Cheung

BODY-WORM CAMERAS

RCMP begins nationwide rollout of body cameras for frontline officers

Nov 14, 2024 | 6:57 PM

Over the next 12 to 18 months, 10,000 frontline RCMP officers across the country will begin wearing body cameras on their chests while responding to calls.

The RCMP announced Thursday that officers will start using body-worn cameras starting next Monday. The goal is to increase trust between police and the communities they serve, resolve public complaints, and gather evidence quickly. By this month in 2025, they aim to have 90 per cent of its frontline officers equipped with the body-camera.

“The objectives of the body-worn camera project are strengthening transparency, accountability and public trust, resolving public complaints more quickly, improving interactions between the public and police, and also improved evidence gathering,” said Project Director Taunya Goguen.

Goguen stated that officers must inform people when recording, adding the cameras are meant to support lawful duties, not for continuous recording or surveillance.

She pointed out that cameras won’t be worn for surveillance or 24 hour, and can be turned off during intimate searches, sensitive incidents, internal police discussions, false statement-taking, or in religious places.

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Officer in Charge (OIC) Sergeant Jordan Arthur noted that officers are guided by the RCMP Act and code of conduct to monitor their camera usage. Supervisors must periodically review body cam footage to ensure team compliance with policies. Non-compliance will lead to consequences assessed case-by-case.

To reduce public complaints, Arthur stated that people can view relevant footage at a detachment with the commander, but copies of the videos cannot be obtained.“Then go from there on a determination as to what the next steps are in a public complaint or not,” he noted.

As concerns about facial recognition technology arise, Trenton Entwistle, the RCMP’s National Body-Worn Camera Program Manager, reassures the public that these cameras will not be used for that purpose.

Entwistle also noted that the camera footage will always remain ‘untouched,’ and the RCMP cannot edit or make any changes. He further stated that if the video is being used for a court or public disclosure, they will make a copy of it.

“Then they can be redactions, can be applied to that video and retention periods for criminal code or other files like that are follow the retention policies that the RCMP have in place already,” he said.

Gougen highlighted that the initiative, first announced in 2020 by Justin Trudeau’s government, aimed to address systemic racism in response to concerns from racialized communities and the protests following George Floyd’s murder in the United States.

The program is part of a $238.5 million commitment over six years, with $50 million ongoing for maintenance and support.

The Saskatchewan RCMP will have more information regarding the camera rollout to local officers next week.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com