On Thursday, the British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) unveiled its initiative to outfit the province’s largest contingent of officers with body-worn cameras (BWC).
In a bid to enhance transparency and expedite the resolution of complaints against officers, police agencies in BC are gearing up for a widespread adoption of body-worn cameras.
The initiative, supported by the BCACP, recently saw a gathering at the RCMP headquarters in Surrey, where thousands of officers across the province and Canada are set to be equipped with these cameras.
While all police agencies in BC will introduce the cameras at varying times, the Delta Police
Department and Vancouver Police Department have already done so.
“We understand that while many people support the use of body worn cameras, there are still concerns that have been expressed about how this technology will work,” says committee co-chair, RCMP Chief Superintendent Holly Turton.
“This is why the BCACP recognized the need to collaborate, consult and to ensure that operational policing standards and policies were consistent across all police agencies in British Columbia.”
Turton noted that the force has employed body cameras in a “limited capacity” since 2010. Following field testing in Alberta and other locations, a deployment of between 10,000 and 15,000 body cameras is anticipated nationwide in Canada.
The body worn cameras will operate by recording video continuously on a 30-second loop, overwriting footage until an officer activates the record button.
This triggers the camera to capture video and sound until manually turned off, serving diverse purposes like police investigations, anticipated aggression, or aiding in de-escalation.
Victoria Buzz reached out to several detachments on Vancouver Island for updates on their rollout plans, including Saanich Police, VicPD and RCMP detachments on Vancouver Island.
In an email response, Alex Berube, spokesperson of the BC RCMP, said details were not readily available as the BCACP were are leading this initiative.
The other detachments did not respond in time for publication.
