Body-worn cameras discussed by the North Bay Police Services Board

Some discussion at the North Bay Police Services Board about body-worn cameras for police officers.

In light of everything going on right now, Chief Scott Tod says there is plenty of talk about the cameras, including the Prime Minister saying the issue will be discussed with the Premiers.

“I think it’s something we need to take a look at and consider as a move to the future, in regards to what body-worn video provides with the benefits to the service and the public,” Tod told the board.

He also says there has been a cost reduction with a Toronto project, but also cautioned the board about that.

“I do warn, I’m not sure the Toronto cost includes the backend portion of this, which include data storage, the data manipulation piece and the human resources required to do all that,” Tod says.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’ll push premiers to equip police with body-worn cameras as a rapid, substantive solution to allegations of racism and brutality.

Tod told BayToday the body worn cameras could be use by the end of the year.

“The overall aspect of it is to provide an increased level of accountability and a record of what we’ve done as a police service in our actions and our words and how we’ve responded to incidents as they’ve been reported,” he says.

Board chair Dennis O’Connor was asked about the timing.

“If the board approves it maybe in about 3-4 months we can go out and get a contract for the body cameras. The cameras actually are not that expensive these days. It’s everything else including the computers and the infrastructure,” O’Connor tells BayToday.

The cameras document police officers’ interactions with the public and Trudeau says they’re one relatively simple way to address complaints that police in Canada treat racialized people unfairly.

Canada-wide protests followed the massive American demonstrations sparked by the video showing a white Minneapolis officer kneeling on the neck of a black man, George Floyd, who died.
The PM wants the R-C-M-P and municipal and provincial police forces to use body cameras.

(With files from the Canadian Press)

(photo by station staff)