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."
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.
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.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parts of Canada hit with freezing rain, heavy snowfall warnings, expected to last through Monday
Significant snowfall and heavy rain hit parts of Canada on Sunday and the weather system is expected to continue into Monday morning and throughout the day.
Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad?
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader of the insurgency in Syria, has spent years working to remake his public image, renouncing to ties to al-Qaida.
Most Canadians view illegal immigrant border crossings as concern for U.S.: Nanos survey
More than 80 per cent of Canadians believe the flow of illegal immigrants from Canada to the U.S. is a concern, according to a new survey.
Suspect wanted after victim forcibly confined, assaulted, and threatened with death in Scarborough
Police have released images of an individual who allegedly forcibly confined, and assaulted and threatened to kill another person in southwest Scarborough over the weekend.
Jay-Z accused of sexually assaulting 13-year-old in 2000 incident along with Sean 'Diddy' Combs
A woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Sean 'Diddy' Combs has amended her lawsuit to include allegations that she was also assaulted by Jay-Z at the same party.
Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a U.S. withdrawal from NATO is possible
Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as U.S. president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office.
A timeline of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the search for his killer
The search for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's has stretched beyond New York City and continues. Here's what we know so far.
Baby found dead in south Edmonton parking lot: police
Police are investigating the death of an infant in south Edmonton.
Pantone names its colour of the year for 2025
Pantone has named an 'evocative soft brown' its colour of the year for 2025, continuing a tradition that has now run for more than a quarter of a century.
Local Spotlight
Kiwanis Club and Toys ‘R’ Us team up to give hundreds of kids Christmas gifts
Northmount Kiwanis Club of Calgary invited 500 kids to Toys "R" Us for its annual Toy Project Sunday.
Major Manitoba fossil milestones highlight the potential for future discoveries in the province
A trio of fossil finds through the years helped put Manitoba on the mosasaur map, and the milestone of those finds have all been marked in 2024.
The 61st Annual Christmas Daddies Telethon raises more than $559,000 for children in need
The 61st annual Christmas Daddies Telethon continued its proud Maritime tradition, raising more than $559,000 for children in need on Saturday.
Calgary company steps up to help grieving family with free furnace after fatal carbon monoxide poisoning
A Calgary furnace company stepped up big time Friday to help a Calgary family grieving the loss of a loved one.
'A well-loved piece': Historic carousel display from Hudson’s Bay Company store lands at Winnipeg shop
When a carousel setup from the Hudson’s Bay Company became available during an auction, a Winnipeg business owner had to have it.
Sask. doctor facing professional charges in circumcision case
A Saskatoon doctor has been accused of unprofessional conduct following a high-cost adult circumcision that included a request for the patient to text unsecured post-op pictures of his genitals.
Regina home recognized internationally for architectural design
Jane Arthur and her husband David began a unique construction project in 2014. Now, a decade later, their home in Regina's Cathedral neighbourhood has won a title in the Urban House and Villa category at the World Architecture Festival.
Calgary director Kiana Rawji turns her lens toward slums of Nairobi with 'Mama of Manyatta'
Two films shot in Kenya by a director and writer based in Brooklyn who grew up in Calgary are getting their Calgary premiere screening Saturday.
N.S. woman finds endangered leatherback sea turtle washed up on Cape Breton beach
Mary Janet MacDonald has gone for walks on Port Hood Beach, N.S., most of her life, but in all those years, she had never seen anything like the discovery she made on Saturday: a leatherback sea turtle.