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The RCMP have begun rolling out body-worn cameras to be used by frontline officers when responding to a call.
Staff Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer says there was a pilot project for the cameras in the Parkland detachment, and those officers have had their cameras for six months. Now that the RCMP are beginning the deployment, the Drayton Valley detachment is one of the first in the Western Alberta District to receive the cameras.
“[Drayton Valley and Entwistle/Evansburg] are the first to get them in the Western Alberta District, and they will be rolling them out across the entire district over the next six months,” says Hoetmer.
According to the RCMP website, there will be between 10,000 and 15,000 deployed for use. While the deployment began in November 2024, onboarding across the country won’t be complete for up to 18 months.
Hoetmer says that by the end of this week the entire Drayton Valley detachment will be trained in the use of the devices and wearing them while responding to calls.
He says he believes the use of these cameras will increase public trust because all of the interaction is recorded.
“I also think it increases accountability for the officers as well as the public we interact with,” he says.
Hoetmer says right now when officers are doing traffic stops, they will be advising residents that the camera is on and recording. However, he says they won’t be advising people forever, and he expects it will be common knowledge in the next couple of years.
While recording video is a new tool for the RCMP, they have been recording audio for the last several years using microphones from their cruisers.
“Our in-car video system has always had a portable mike pack that the officers have worn on their shoulders,” says Hoetmer. “So, if they showed up to a house, the camera footage would be outside, but the audio footage from inside is captured.”
He says the audio also made officers and the public more accountable, while offering the police a tool to address complaints by going back and double checking what was said during an interaction.
“Sometimes the public get caught in the moment with the police, too,” he says. “They either miss things or don’t realize what the officer had said.”
Video footage will also be helpful in some investigations, says Hoetmer, as it may record injuries or damage that a victim may not be comfortable bringing up.
The purchase, distribution, and servicing of these cameras is a large financial commitment. In 2020, the federal government earmarked $238.5 million to set up the body-worn camera program. They then committed a recurring annual amount of $50 million for implementation costs.
“The rest of [the funding] is split up through the contract partners,” says Hoetmer. “That’s the province or the Town.”
On their frequently asked questions (FAQ) page, the RCMP clearly state that the body-worn cameras are not to be used for 24 hour recording, surveilling, or when intimate searches are being conducted.
The video recording will show 30 seconds of video from before the record button is pressed, but no audio will be captured until it is. The additional 30 seconds is due to the camera being in “ready” mode, which requires it to be continuously buffering when not recording. The footage recorded while buffering is deleted after 30 seconds.
Their Code of Conduct outlines policies that officers are required to follow in the use of the cameras. If they do not follow policies and procedures, they may undergo an internal disciplinary process. A statutory offence may result in a criminal investigation.
The website states that they take privacy seriously and RCMP officers will not be recording in areas where privacy is expected, such as hospitals and private dwellings, unless circumstances dictate the use of the camera. The RCMP will also act to protect the privacy of individuals who are not part of the situation, but happen to get caught on camera. When using the footage for evidence, the faces of the members of the public that weren’t involved will be blurred, and where necessary some audio can be redacted.
The public is also allowed to request the camera be turned off, though that is at the discretion of the officer. A person who has been recorded can access their video and audio recording by filing a form under the Federal Privacy or Access to Information Act.
To learn more about the cameras, how they will be used, and what the public can expect from the officers wearing them, residents can visit the FAQ page on the RCMP website, www.rcmp.ca/en/body-worn-cameras.
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