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What is the purpose of a BWV camera?
The purpose of a Body-Worn Video (BWV) camera is to capture interactions taking place between police officers and members of the public when those interactions are determined to be, or could become, investigative or law enforcement related. BWV is not intended to be used to capture every single aspect of an officer’s activities during their day.
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Who will be wearing BWV cameras?
Edmonton Police Service is taking a phased approach for deploying the BWVs.
Cameras were deployed as part of a proof of concept to officers within Healthy Streets Operations Centre, Transit and Community Safety and the High-Risk Encampment Team in July 2023.
Deployment of cameras began in September 2024 and over the course of the next several months, rollout will include the following areas:
- Northeast Division
- West Division
- Southwest Division
- Whyte Avenue Beats
- Gang Suppression Team (GST)
- Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU)
- Traffic Enforcement Section (TES)
- Northwest Division
- Southeast Division
- Downtown Division
- Southeast Beats
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What technology will be used?
Axon Body 4 cameras.
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What training will the officers undergo before the BWV cameras are deployed?
As the cameras are deployed to areas of the Service, the officers will undergo pre-course online and in-person training covering organizational policy and procedures, technical training about how to operate the cameras, and how to manage the BWV recordings in the Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) software.
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Didn’t you already pilot for BWV cameras?
The Edmonton Police Service ran a body worn video pilot project from October 2011 through December 2014 to assess its value and capabilities.
At that time, the pilot project indicated there were several concerns with the technology and data management. Since then, the technology has improved, and it is now better suited to operational and investigative needs.
Following the announcement from the provincial government in March 2023, EPS initiated a proof-of-concept with body-worn video cameras for a second time with a select group of officers working within Healthy Streets Operations Centre, Transit and Community Safety and the High-Risk Encampment Team in July 2023 to assess the operational impacts of the cameras before rolling out service-wide.
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Will you still be piloting in-car video?
In 2022, the Edmonton Police Service piloted in-car video to evaluate and decide on the best platform and technology for EPS. This was put on hold as our resources pivoted to body-worn video cameras. Currently, the EPS is not pursuing the use of in-car video.
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When will the recording begin and end?
Police officers will start to actively record their interactions with members of the public once they realize the nature of the interaction is investigative or enforcement related.
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How will I know if a body worn video camera is “on” during my encounter with a member of the Edmonton Police Service?
Officers who have been issued body-worn video cameras will have the device in plain view. The camera also has a red flashing light which indicates recording has been activated. Although not legally required, officers are trained to give verbal notice as soon as reasonably possible that a body-worn video camera is in operation. The timing of this notice may vary depending on the context of the encounter.
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Where will the BWV data be stored, how long will it be stored for, and how will the footage be downloaded?
At the end of every shift, the members dock their cameras and footage will be automatically uploaded to the Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) software. A retention schedule that applies to police records will be applied to the storage of this data, depending on the nature of the interactions (e.g., if footage is captured during a criminal investigation versus a bylaw investigation).
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Who will be able to access the camera footage and who is permitted to look at it?
Rules surrounding the access of body-worn video camera footage have been defined, all of which is auditable. Access will be based on the applicable legislative rules.
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Will BWV cameras be used for facial recognition?
There is no facial recognition technology built into the cameras, but footage may be used in conjunction with other facial recognition technology that EPS currently uses here.
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What happens if an officer does not turn their camera on or does not follow procedures? What are the consequences?
Police officers will start to actively record their interactions with members of the public once they realize that the nature of the interaction is investigative, or enforcement related. If an officer does not turn on their camera or does not follow procedures, complaints can be made to the Professional Standards Branch. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, officers could face any number of disciplinary actions dependent on the nature of the allegations and the reasons why the breach of policy occurred.
We know that only proper use of body-worn video cameras will enhance public trust and legitimacy while improper use will have the opposite, detrimental effect on police/community relations.
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How do the police manage a request to turn off the body-worn video camera?
When using a body-worn video camera, officers will weigh the law enforcement objective against privacy concerns and take reasonable steps to mitigate the impact on the individual’s privacy.
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What provisions will exist to vet/edit any recording prior to disclosure in court?
- The Crown is provided the raw footage and they make the decision on what to edit based on the charges.
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Is there a policy or procedure that governs how officers use the body-worn video camera?
Yes, policy and procedures provide officers with operational direction that includes but is not limited to recording in private and public places; retention and security of videos; and responsibilities for officers and supervisors.
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