ManitobaWinnipeg police could begin testing body-worn cameras in 2026, according to Chief Gene Bowers.3 district stations set to reopen in early 2026Cameron MacLean · CBC News · Posted: Dec 05, 2025 7:57 PM EST | Last Updated: 32 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Winnipeg police Chief Gene Bowers says the technology is in place to support a body-camera pilot project next year. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)Winnipeg police could begin testing body-worn cameras in 2026, according to Chief Gene Bowers.Speaking after Friday’s police board meeting, Bowers said the service is positioning itself to run a pilot project “sooner than later,” though funding requirements still need to be resolved.“I would like to see a pilot in 2026,” he said.“There’s a lot of moving parts with the digital management of that body-worn camera and we don’t want to overload our members, our civilian professional staff or the court, but I would like to move on it sooner than later.Bowers noted the police already have infrastructure in place that would support a camera program. Winnipeg’s digital evidence management platform, built through a partnership with the province, allows video files, photographs and other records to be stored, reviewed and shared with prosecutors securely. That same framework supported the RCMP rollout of body-worn cameras earlier this year, he said.Acting police board chair Colleen Mayer said the board has been briefed regularly on the chief’s interest in body cameras.“We’re seeing other jurisdictions, we’re seeing other police forces bring that in,” Mayer said. “I am encouraged by the amount of groundwork the service has done.”There is no money in the 2026 budget dedicated to the pilot. Bowers declined to say how the project might be funded, but suggested there are ways to launch a trial without formally allocating dollars through the city’s budget process.District stations to reopen in 2026Bowers also confirmed the service will reopen three closed district stations to the public next year, restoring walk-in access to police for neighbourhoods outside the core for the first time since early pandemic shutdowns in 2020.The east, west and north stations, closed to the public during COVID-19, are now undergoing renovation and Bowers said they should be ready “very early in 2026.”The reopened stations will focus on face-to-face reporting, meeting with community members and providing support services. Administrative work, such as record checks or hit-and-run reporting, has largely shifted online in recent years.Staffing will come from within existing ranks, particularly members working modified light duty. Mayer said the move reflects persistent pressure from residents who want in-person contact with police.“We’ve heard that loud and clear — that connectivity and strengthening communication matters,” she said. “For people dealing with trauma, there is still a percentage of the population that needs that one-on-one.”WATCH | News from Friday’s police board meeting:Disgraced Winnipeg police officer removed from forceA veteran Winnipeg police officer who pleaded guilty to ticket fixing and other offences has lost his badge, the city’s police chief said after a meeting of the Winnipeg Police Board on Friday. Meanwhile, the police service says it plans to reopen its district stations to the public for the first time in years. ABOUT THE AUTHORCameron MacLean is a journalist for CBC Manitoba living in Winnipeg, where he was born and raised. He has more than a decade of experience reporting in the city and across Manitoba, covering a wide range of topics, including courts, politics, housing, arts, health and breaking news. Email story tips to cameron.maclean@cbc.ca.
Winnipeg police chief wants body-camera pilot next year
