‘Policy is the key’ as Halifax police to unveil body-worn cameras this year

Body-worn cameras for Halifax police are expected to arrive by the end of the year.

Halifax Regional Police officers are expected to be equipped with body-worn cameras by the end of the year.

That brings terms like accountability, transparency and privacy to the spotlight.

“Does the presence of a body-worn camera on an officer reduce the likelihood of the use of force? And two, does the presence of a body-worn camera reduce civilian complaints about police?” asked Christopher Schneider, a sociology professor at Brandon University.

“The answer to those two questions is inconsistent.”

Schneider, who co-authored a book on body-worn cameras, said strong policies are needed.

“We will not turn on our systems until such time that everything; policy is in place, the staff are in place,” Halifax police chief Don MacLean told reporters on Thursday.

“The policy has to be strong,” said Tony Mancini, who sits on the board of police commissioners. “When to turn [the camera] on, when to turn it off. What’s acceptable, and the training that goes along with it.

“The technology is there now, that’s proven. The policy is the key.”

In his research, Schneider found there were few repercussions for inappropriate use of body-worn cameras, such as obstructing the camera, not recording or not turning it on in the first place.

“You look for the disciplinary policies regarding misuse of body-worn cameras,” but, he said, “they’re really not that strong.”

Halifax police inked a contract with vendor Axon in March for a digital evidence management system, body-worn cameras and in-car cameras.

Previous five-year cost estimates were nearly $12 million or almost $2.4 million annually.

That included 425 body-worn cameras and 120 in-car cameras.

Ten new staff – one supervisor and nine digital evidence clerks – are needed, too.

“Yes, it is expensive, but it’s the cost of doing business,” Mancini said.

“I think body-worn cameras serve two purposes. They help to protect our residents and make sure that everything is going the right way when there’s interaction with the police.

“It also protects our police officers when there’s maybe false claims against them.”

The police chief agreed, saying the technology will lead to positive results.

“What it provides in terms of accountability and transparency, I think it’s a good move forward,” MacLean said. “It’s something that, I think, that will serve public safety for everyone in a good way.”

While privacy concerns are very different south of the border, it’s less of an issue here.

“Citizens of Halifax can, I think, be guaranteed of their privacy rights that the body-worn camera footage will not be released,” Schneider said. “That said, we can then also not talk about body-worn cameras being about transparency in the Canadian context.”

Schneider said it’s problematic that someone seeking to acquire footage of their own interaction with police would need to go through a lengthy freedom of information process.

The rollout is slated to finish by the end of December.

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