RCMP Body-Worn Cameras
There is something new occurring in rural policing by the RCMP – the rollout of body-worn cameras. The following information has been obtained from a presentation given by Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Don Racette at the HCRCWA annual general meeting on Thursday March 13, 2025 at the Priddis Hall, as well as the RCMP website on this topic rcmp.ca/en/body-worn-cameras . Any quotations used here are from that website.
The website is a really good resource for the public to understand why body-worn cameras are being deployed, what the protocol is for RCMP officers in their use, and what your rights as a member of the public are with respect to the use of these cameras.
The rollout is presently occurring in all three RCMP detachments in Foothills County – Diamond Valley, Okotoks and High River. The RCMP website states the rollout began mid to late November 2024 with 50% of cameras expected to be operational by March/April 2025, and, full rollout is expected 12-18 months from commencement. It is a cross Canada initiative.
What is the reasoning behind the RCMP’s use of body-worn cameras? “Project Objectives are as follows:
- Strengthening transparency, accountability and public trust
- Resolving public complaints more quickly
- Improving interactions between the public and police
- Improving evidence gathering”
I have had officers relate to me situations where there has been a dispute between themselves and a member of the public as to what occurred during an interaction with the RCMP. Once the member of the public was shown the video footage, accusations by the member of the public were dropped.
Body-worn cameras are not meant to be hidden or discreet. They are located on the officer’s chest and have 3 simultaneously blinking red lights signifying recording is in progress. Each RCMP officer has their own camera. It is inserted in a docking station at the end of their shift where charging and downloading of the day’s recordings takes place. “The amount of time the RCMP will keep a video depends on the type of incident captured on the video and is based on existing legislation. Retention periods can range from 30 days to 2 years or longer. Generally, the more serious the incident or crime, the longer the video is kept.”
There is a rigidly established protocol for an officer’s use of the camera and officers take a course in their use prior to receiving the device. Access to recordings is governed by the protocol in a manner that protects the public. “Only designated individuals will be able to access data within the digital evidence management system, and only where there is a need to do so.”
You have the right to seek access to recording by making a formal request under the federal Privacy Act or Access to Information Act. Formal requests can be made using the Access to Information and Privacy guidelines.
The RCMP website goes deeper into the body-worn camera issue and is worth reading (about 10 minutes). It is set up in a question-and-answer format and should answer any questions you may have. In addition, “The RCMP is seeking input from the communities we serve.” and there is a fifteen-minute on-line, confidential survey that you can take to express your thoughts on RCMP body-worn camera use.
You can expect that if you are interacting with the RCMP because of a traffic stop, response to a call, or whatever, your interaction will be recorded. S/Sgt Don Racette related to us at the HCRCWA meeting they are taught “once you remove your seatbelt, you activate the camera”. There are specified situations where activation of the camera doesn’t have to occur.
For interest sake, I checked the City of Calgary Police website and found “In-car cameras have been used by their Service since 2012 and body-worn cameras were deployed to all patrol members, the Traffic Section and some other frontline officers in April 2019. Evaluations of our officers’ use of both body-worn and in-car cameras have found evidence that the technologies help create a more efficient accountability process and reduce incidents where force is used.”
The RCMP uses the Axon camera. You can go to the Axon website www.axon.com to view the camera. The website also has a very intriguing video (6.5 min.) of the camera in use from a Pamela Landy perspective as per the Jason Bourne movies – click on the Axon name at the top of the website to access the video. It’s pretty cool!
Dave Schroeder – HCRCWA Board Member
