The Alberta government is planning to require all police services in the province to use body cameras.

Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said Tuesday that officers often respond to complex calls and make split-second decisions.

That can raise concerns from the public about officersB次元官网网址� actions and whether appropriate force was used.

B次元官网网址淢andating police to wear body-worn cameras is a transformational decision that will ensure all interactions with officers are objective,B次元官网网址� Ellis said.

B次元官网网址淧olice are responding to complex calls that may involve vulnerable Albertans (who) are experiencing mental health crises, suffering from addiction or having difficult moments in their (lives) that (are) clouding their decision-making skills.B次元官网网址�

Ellis said the provincial government will be working with the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police on funding, logistics and when the cameras will roll out. He said the association is to develop a mandate over the next few months to B次元官网网址渟wiftly get body cameras onto the streets as soon as possible.B次元官网网址�

He said Alberta would be the first province to mandate body cameras.

B次元官网网址淧olice will know that taking appropriate action and using the right amount of force is required in every incident, and police officers who use excessive force will face proper discipline thanks to body camera footage,B次元官网网址� Ellis said.

The Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said it supports the move and police in Calgary have already implemented the devices.

B次元官网网址淣ever before has there been such scrutiny on policing B次元官网网址� and rightly so. We are provided with powers of detention and are held to a very high standard,B次元官网网址� said Camrose police Chief Dean LaGrange, the associationB次元官网网址檚 vice-president.

B次元官网网址淭he cameras are a good source of protection, not only for the public, but for the police officers wearing them.B次元官网网址�

Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee said details of the cost and how the cameras will get to all police services is to be done in short order.

The cameras will help ensure the public gets the entire story, he said.

B次元官网网址淚f you donB次元官网网址檛 have this transparency, what happens is you get snapshots of video, whether itB次元官网网址檚 off a cellphone, whether itB次元官网网址檚 off of different cameras, that only portray a picture of it,B次元官网网址� McFee said. B次元官网网址淭hat takes the toll on everybody, because sometimes the devil in relation to the details is a lot more than a snapshot in time.B次元官网网址�

Irfan Sabir, the Alberta NDP justice critic, said he supports increased transparency, but there arenB次元官网网址檛 many details in the plan.

B次元官网网址淭here are no timelines, no funding and a lack of clarity regarding how the vast amount of data generated by body-worn cameras will be managed,B次元官网网址� Sabir said.

He added that the provinceB次元官网网址檚 police watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, has a B次元官网网址渕assive backlog of cases.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f the (United Conservative Party government) was serious about transparency, they would be focused on clearing this backlog so law enforcement is held accountable and Albertans have access to justice.B次元官网网址�

Dunia Nur, president of the African Canadian Civic Engagement Council, said she will be watching closely B次元官网网址渢o ensure that the implementation of police body cameras includes anti-racist policies and practices, and that gaps identified in other jurisdictions have been addressed to create a more just and equitable society.B次元官网网址�

Ellis said the mandate does not cover the RCMP, but the federal government has indicated it will be moving toward more body cameras in the future.