RCMP will begin its national rollout of body-worn cameras, beginning Monday, Nov. 18.
Over the next nine months, 1,000 frontline officers will start using the body-worn cameras each month, the RCMP's national headquarters announced Thursday. Eighty-six detachments across the country will be using the cameras by the end of the year, with another 63 detachments added in January 2025.
RCMP estimate 90 per cent of frontline members will be using the body-worn cameras in the next year, with the full rollout completed within 18 months.
RCMP say between 10,000 and 15,000 body-worn cameras will be given to officers who interact with members of the public in rural, urban and remote locations.
Officers are expected to activate their body-worn camera before exiting their vehicle. Body-worn cameras are expected to be activated for crimes in progress, investigations, public disorder and protests, mental health calls, interactions with people in crisis and "to record information to support the performance of their duties."
A light on the camera will be green when in "ready mode" buffering, and will then turn red when recording.
At the end of a shift, officers will place the camera in a dock and the footage will be automatically uploaded to a digital evidence management system.
Asked how long the footage is held for, RCMP said evidence retention follows the RCMP's policy in place already. Depending on the type of incident captured, that ranges from 30 days to two years or longer.
The digital evidence management system links the video to an investigative file, which the officer can log into an access. An officer cannot delete their own video evidence.
RCMP said the original video remains untouched, meaning it can't be altered or edited. However, if the video is released to the public or for court proceedings, copies of the original would be made to redact for privacy.
The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, which is an independent agency tasked with examining RCMP conduct, can access the video footage during an investigation into an officer or detachment. The video is shared through a secured link, RCMP said.
The RCMP's 'E' Division in B.C. is set to hold a news conference on Nov. 21 on the provincial rollout. The B.C. RCMP has said 鈥� Ucluelet, Tofino, Prince George, Mission, Cranbrook and Kamloops 鈥� will have the cameras deployed by winter 2024.
The cameras won't be used for surveillance, 24-hour recordings, during strip searches or settings with a high expectation of privacy, such as washrooms, hospitals and treatment centres.
鈥� With files from Dillon White
