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 鈥渢o identify best practices by ensuring consistency and standard operating procedures, policies, disclosure procedures and communications,鈥� 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 鈥渟hows exactly what is occurring.鈥�
鈥淎 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,鈥� she said.
The committee was also tasked with identifying 鈥渟tandard operating procedures鈥� for the use of body cameras, and consult with other agencies 鈥渨hose work will be impacted鈥� 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 鈥渓imited capacity鈥� 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 鈥減romote a collaborative approach among police agencies鈥� about body camera implementation.
鈥淥ur intent was to ensure a seamless approach across the province with the understanding that this would also benefit the public and decision makers,鈥� Turton said.
Supt. Howard Tran with the Vancouver Police Department said introducing body cameras is 鈥渓ong overdue,鈥� as communities have changed their expectations of police at a time of 鈥渆merging public safety challenges.鈥�
Dozens of VPD officers are already wearing body cameras under a pilot program launched last week.
Sgt. Jim Ingram, the Delta Police Department鈥檚 body-worn camera co-ordinator, said the decision to turn on cameras is up to an officer鈥檚 discretion if they decide a recording could have 鈥渆videntiary value.鈥�
Ingram said policing standards, though, require cameras to be turned on 鈥渋f there is a potential for use of force or violent or aggressive behaviour is anticipated or displayed.鈥�
He said the cameras 鈥渁ssist in de-escalating鈥� potentially volatile situations, and video evidence of an event is superior to handwritten notes.
He said the cameras are an 鈥渁dditional tool鈥� officers can use to defuse tense situations as people behave differently when they know they鈥檙e being recorded.
鈥淲hen there鈥檚 a camera turned on, I鈥檇 say that everybody has a little bit of a psychological switch that flips,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 just human nature.鈥�
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.
鈥淲hen police are conducting themselves in public, with all the authorities and powers that they have, when they are doing it on camera it鈥檚 reassurance to the public that they鈥檙e doing it in as professional a way as possible,鈥� Eby said, adding the body-worn cameras have advantages for police and the public.
鈥淐ertainly, I鈥檓 supportive.鈥�
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