Vancouver Police Department officers could wear body mounted cameras

Dec 19 2017, 4:49 pm

The Vancouver Police Department could soon be implementing a pilot program to have its officers wear body cameras while on duty.

 

The new program is an initiative of the Vancouver Police Department and could greatly promote transparency, accountability and officer safety within its force. In addition, its proponents claim that it will offer high quality evidence and a quick method for complaint resolution.

However, the device and the infrastructure required to support it will not come cheap. A smartphone-sized camera for each officer, which will be mounted on their uniforms and turned on at all times, costs between $100 to $500 per unit. This does not include the cost of monthly remote video storage space and the administration required.

The trial run could happen next year on a select number of officers. It will not begin until the Edmonton Police Service has released the results of its own pilot program.

To date, police forces in Edmonton, Victoria and Albuquerque have reported positive experiences with the body mounted video recording device. In late-October, the Los Angeles Police Department also announced that it would be testing cameras on 60 of its officers throughout the month of November 2013.

Body mounted cameras have been worn by the United Kingdom’s police forces and security companies since 2005.

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Image: Reveal Media

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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