RCMP begins deploying body-worn cameras to frontline officers across Canada

Over the next few months, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the use of these devices across Canada.

On Thursday, the RCMP announced that starting Nov. 18, general duty police officers at select detachments will begin using body-worn cameras, with the audio and video captured being uploaded to "a secure digital evidence management system."

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Over the next nine months, approximately 1,000 contract and federal police officers per month will be migrating to the system as part of a phased national implementation plan. By the spring, the RCMP expects to have 50 per cent of its cameras deployed, and by this time next year, the force is aiming to have 90 per cent of frontline officers using the devices.

"Body-worn video provides increased transparency while also providing a first-hand view of what a police officer encounters, oftentimes in highly dynamic, intense situations," said the RCMP's project director Taunya Goguen during a technical briefing on Thursday.

The current estimate that between 10,000 and 15,000 body-worn cameras will be deployed to those who interact with Canadians, across rural, urban, and remote locations, in the next 12 to 18 months.

The objective of the initiative, according to the RCMP, is to strengthen trust, increase transparency, improve interactions between the public and police, and enhance evidence-gathering, by providing an "accurate" and "unbiased" account of incidents involving police.

"The rollout of body-worn cameras to Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers is another step towards building a more modern and accountable RCMP and enhancing trust between the RCMP and the communities it serves," said RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, in a statement.

The national rollout comes after the Mounties ran pilot tests of the technology in certain detachments, and after the target for full implementation was delayed over the last few years as the Mounties settled on a provider, developed policies, and provided training.

Instead of purchasing cameras, the RCMP is using a subscription model where the contractor – Axon Public Safety Canada Inc. – is providing the hardware and management system.

In 2020, the federal government allocated $238.5 million to be spent over six years to implement the system, and has earmarked $50 million annually going forward.

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Where, when cameras will be used

Joining some other Canadian police forces that already equip their officers with similar technology, the RCMP says its officers will wear the cameras on their chest. They are being trained to think "seatbelt off, camera on," Goguen said.

The RCMP says its officers must start recording before arriving at a call, or when initiating contact with a member of the public as part of their duties. Those interacting with officers will know the camera is recording when a red light is flashing below the lens.

The national police force says the cameras will not be used for surveillance, or in settings with an expectation of privacy, such as washrooms or hospitals, nor will they be used during internal body cavity or strip searches. The RCMP has also stated that the cameras will not use facial recognition, nor will they be used for that purpose, at any time.

The RCMP policy requires officers to continue rolling "until they determine that safety is no longer a concern and further recording no longer benefits the investigation," and they must also document any accidental deactivations or temporary obstructions of their cameras.

The cameras can store around 24 hours of footage, have a 12-hour battery life, and have been tested and shown to function in cold temperatures. The RCMP says they will be replaced every 30 months to ensure up-to-date technology.

The RCMP has also outlined how the software storing the footage will work, noting video access will be logged, and that retention will range from 30 days to two years in many cases, though footage can be preserved for longer depending on the incident captured.

When it comes to releasing footage, the RCMP's current position is that it "may proactively disclose footage from a body-worn camera where it is in the public interest to do so," but that would only happen in "exceptional" circumstances. Otherwise, members of the public would need to formally request access to footage taken of them in accordance with federal privacy laws.

The National Police Federation says it welcomes the program, viewing the cameras as a tool for transparency, noting its members are "used to being scrutinized in the public."

"This is just one of those tools that will provide a third-party, impartial record of what occurred. Our members are excited for that," said the police union's Prairie regional director Kevin Halwa. "It's like a sports replay. Let's go to the tape and see exactly what happened."

Policy proposed amid protests

Plans to equip frontline RCMP officers with body cameras was an initiative announced in 2020, amid protests demanding police reform.

The decision to advance this policy arose from a conversation between then-RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At the time, rising concerns over police brutality and systemic racism led to rallies globally, including in Canada, calling for the defunding of police.

Among the cases that drove the efforts of advocates wanting change were the deaths of George Floyd, after footage of then-police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck in Minneapolis, Minn., went viral, and Chantel Moore, an Indigenous woman who was fatally shot by a police officer performing a "wellness check" in Edmundston, N.B.

In Thursday's statement, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canadians "must have confidence in the agencies tasked with keeping them safe."

Though, privacy and efficacy concerns persist.

"Body-worn cameras have been tested largely for two things. One, does the presence of body-worn cameras reduce the likelihood of police use of force? And two, does the presence of body-worn cameras reduce civilian complaints about police? And the findings are inconsistent," said Brandon University sociology professor Christopher Schneider.

He also cautioned that Canadians shouldn't expect to start seeing widespread public release of the footage shot, in the way it's often broadcast in American media, noting Canadian privacy laws are not comparable.

"These cameras are funded by the public, taxpayer dollars. And indeed, if we think about it like that, this footage is the public's footage. The public own the footage. We pay for it. How is it benefiting the public? I think this should be the real concern as we move forward," Schneider said.