Body-worn cameras, such as these unveiled by the Edmonton Police Service in September 2024, were distributed to RCMP officers throughout Nova Scotia last year. Photo by SHAUGHN BUTTS /PostmediaArticle contentAround 10 months into using body-worn cameras, the head of Halifax RCMP said he wishes he had them 10 years ago.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“The evidence that they provide, the real-time evidence, is unbelievable,” John Duff, chief superintendent of the RCMP’s Halifax regional detachment, told the Halifax board of police commissioners on Wednesday.Article contentArticle contentThe cameras were issued to 600 officers across the province in a phased approach starting last November. They’re typically worn on an officer’s chest and they show they’re recording with a red light flashing below the lens. They also came with a digital evidence management system.Article contentArticle contentThat management technology creates “a bit of work,” Duff told the board, but “ it’s work that is beneficial in the grander picture of community safety.”Article contentDuff called the cameras “an unbelievable tool.”Article content“The officer presence is recognized in so many cases because we’re often highlighted in situations that don’t go exactly great,” he said.Article content“We’re accountable for our actions and so is the public when we have cameras on, so it’s a two-way street, that’s clearly evident.”Article contentPrivacy concernsArticle contentBody-worn cameras have faced opposition, particularly over the past five years. When El Jones delivered the 219-page Defunding the Police: Defining the Way Forward for HRM in 2022, she advised the municipality to avoid them.Article content“The studies show they have no impact at all on police brutality, they have no impact on police behaviour, and they do not lead to greater accountability measures at all,” Jones said then. “In return, they are quite expensive, and there are concerns about privacy, such as the ability for body cameras to have facial recognition technologies to be installed in them.”Article contentWhen asked about privacy concerns Wednesday, Duff responded that the RCMP have privacy policies and rules around handling evidence and data.Article content“It’s no different than our officer notebooks or our files. It’s just a different medium of the information.”Article contentHalifax Regional Police received funding in their previous budget for in-car and body-worn cameras, which they’ll be rolling out next year.Article content
Body-worn cameras an unbelievable tool, say Halifax RCMP
