Police agencies in British Columbia say the introduction of body cameras will improve transparency and lead to more timely resolution of complaints against officers.
The B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police and representatives from several departments gathered at RCMP headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday to tout the introduction of the cameras, soon to be worn by thousands of officers in the province and across Canada.
The association formed a committee in 2021, which was mandated B次元官网网址渢o identify best practices by ensuring consistency and standard operating procedures, policies, disclosure procedures and communications,B次元官网网址� said Deputy Chief Anita Furlan with the Metro Vancouver Transit Police.
She said police expect the technology to improve interactions with the public and help resolve complaints more quickly.
Furlan, a vice-president with the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, said video evidence is valuable in court proceedings because it B次元官网网址渟hows exactly what is occurring.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎 key principle for the committee was to ensure that using body-worn cameras balance the rights of the individual with the (use) of the technology,B次元官网网址� she said.
The committee was also tasked with identifying B次元官网网址渟tandard operating proceduresB次元官网网址� for the use of body cameras, and consult with other agencies B次元官网网址渨hose work will be impactedB次元官网网址� by their introduction, the association said in a news release.
Evidence collected by the devices will be used not only by police, but also the BC Prosecution Service, which determines if charges will be laid, and by the Independent Investigations Office and the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner, both police watchdog agencies.
Chief Supt. Holly Turton of the RCMP said the force has used body cameras in a B次元官网网址渓imited capacityB次元官网网址� since 2010, and between 10,000 and 15,000 body cameras are set to be deployed across Canada after field testing in Alberta and elsewhere.
Turton said the committee sought to B次元官网网址減romote a collaborative approach among police agenciesB次元官网网址� about body camera implementation.
B次元官网网址淥ur intent was to ensure a seamless approach across the province with the understanding that this would also benefit the public and decision makers,B次元官网网址� Turton said.
Supt. Howard Tran with the Vancouver Police Department said introducing body cameras is B次元官网网址渓ong overdue,B次元官网网址� as communities have changed their expectations of police at a time of B次元官网网址渆merging public safety challenges.B次元官网网址�
Dozens of VPD officers are already wearing body cameras under a pilot program launched last week.
Sgt. Jim Ingram, the Delta Police DepartmentB次元官网网址檚 body-worn camera co-ordinator, said the decision to turn on cameras is up to an officerB次元官网网址檚 discretion if they decide a recording could have B次元官网网址渆videntiary value.B次元官网网址�
Ingram said policing standards, though, require cameras to be turned on B次元官网网址渋f there is a potential for use of force or violent or aggressive behaviour is anticipated or displayed.B次元官网网址�
He said the cameras B次元官网网址渁ssist in de-escalatingB次元官网网址� potentially volatile situations, and video evidence of an event is superior to handwritten notes.
He said the cameras are an B次元官网网址渁dditional toolB次元官网网址� officers can use to defuse tense situations as people behave differently when they know theyB次元官网网址檙e being recorded.
B次元官网网址淲hen thereB次元官网网址檚 a camera turned on, IB次元官网网址檇 say that everybody has a little bit of a psychological switch that flips,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 just human nature.B次元官网网址�
The Delta Police Department has been using the cameras for about two years, and currently 21 are in operation with 16 more to be introduced this year.
At an unrelated news conference Thursday, Premier David Eby said the police cameras help provide valuable evidence and ensure accountability.
B次元官网网址淲hen police are conducting themselves in public, with all the authorities and powers that they have, when they are doing it on camera itB次元官网网址檚 reassurance to the public that theyB次元官网网址檙e doing it in as professional a way as possible,B次元官网网址� Eby said, adding the body-worn cameras have advantages for police and the public.
B次元官网网址淐ertainly, IB次元官网网址檓 supportive.B次元官网网址�
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