RCMP officers to begin piloting body-worn cameras in Iqaluit, Nunavut later this year

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 21, 2020 /CNW/ - The RCMP is committed to strengthening trust, transparency and accountability, and providing the best service possible to communities across Canada.

After consulting with community members, stakeholders, and federal and territorial government officials, Nunavut RCMP officers in Iqaluit will soon be equipped with body-worn cameras.

The goal of this pilot project is to evaluate processes and best practices with existing technology in remote regions, and to engage the community on perceptions and satisfaction with this technology in Nunavut. This engagement includes Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada and the Native Women's Association of Canada.

The RCMP is also consulting Iqaluit community, territorial and federal government partners on training and operational procedures related to privacy and handling video evidence.

The Iqaluit deployment will help inform the broader Canada-wide initiative to equip front-line RCMP officers with body-worn cameras. This broader initiative supports the RCMP's Vision 150 modernization plan.

The RCMP's national body-worn camera initiative has several objectives:

• strengthening trust, transparency and accountability;
• encouraging improved police and public behaviour;
• enhancing evidence gathering and prosecutions; and,
• increasing timely resolutions of public complaints.

What makes a national body-worn camera initiative complex is the management of all the associated video feeds recorded every shift, often in very remote communities with limited infrastructure.

The RCMP is working with industry partners to ensure that a camera system and digital evidence management solution meets our requirements. Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the RCMP, posted a Request for Information this week to gather vendor information.

Once the RCMP finishes gathering vendor information and secures funding, the RCMP will work with federal partners on a contract bidding process, anticipated early next year.

QUOTES

"Protecting the safety and security of Canadians and ensuring public trust in the RCMP are my top priorities. With the support of the Federal government and our contracted policing partners, I am committed to rolling out a body-worn camera program for all front-line police officers in the RCMP."
-  Brenda Lucki, RCMP Commissioner

"Since taking on the responsibility of leading the RCMP's dedicated employees in providing policing services to the people of Nunavut, I have been committed to ensuring they have the training and tools needed to serve the North. Body-worn cameras in Iqaluit will help strengthen accountability and public trust of the RCMP in the community."
-  Amanda Jones, RCMP Commanding Officer, V Division (Nunavut)

"Body-worn cameras provide increased transparency and accountability during police interactions, and this roll-out in Iqaluit will help the RCMP as it moves toward the introduction of body-worn cameras for front-line officers across the country."
-  Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"Our government recognizes this is not the only solution to addressing systemic racism and discrimination in policing and other institutions. We must keep working to remove systemic racism from these institutions, institutions that are meant to serve everyone living in this country equally and fairly. There is much more to do and I look forward to continuing this important work, in collaboration with all partners."
-  Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs

"Our government is in favour of any measures which increase the transparency of our police services. We support this pilot project and are happy to see progress on the issue of body-worn cameras. We hope this pilot project initiative is successful and that it can be used as a model going forward in the roll-out of body-worn cameras across our territory.

We will continue to work with the RCMP on measures which increase transparency and improve policing for Nunavummiut. We will work with our colleagues at Public Safety Canada to ensure the proper allocation of funds and resources to achieve our goals of reconciliation between Inuit and the RCMP."
-  Jeannie Ehaloak, Minister of Justice, Government of Nunavut

QUICK FACTS

• Body-worn video provides increased transparency, while also providing a first-person view of what a police officer encounters, oftentimes in highly dynamic and tense situations.
• The RCMP has a limited supply of cameras to support small-scale deployments to operational units across Canada.
• Iqaluit RCMP officers will begin wearing body-worn cameras in the community later this year.
• The use of RCMP body-worn cameras in Iqaluit will help evaluate processes and best practices for using this technology in remote communities.
• On Thursday, Oct. 22, the RCMP in Nunavut will be hosting a community consultation on body-worn cameras.

Link: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2020/rcmp-officers-begin-piloting-body-worn-cameras-iqaluit-nunavut-later-year

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police