Specialized police units within the Edmonton Police Service will now wear body cameras.

The Edmonton Police Service said they came to their decision following a comprehensive three-year study to assess the effectiveness of body worn video (BWV) for use by its officers.

The pilot project, that took place between 2011 and 2014, reviewed technical performance, legal considerations and usefulness in everyday policing and investigations – it also surveyed the public and police officers for their opinion.

Dr. Mary Stratton, the BWV project coordinator, said this study is the most comprehensive in Canada and has set a benchmark in the breadth and depth of the evaluation undertaken.

“Because technology is still evolving, EPS is sharing its research findings with police agencies across North America also considering body worn cameras for its officers,” Stratton said in a statement.

EPS Deputy Chief Danielle Campbell said that while BWV has value in providing evidence in criminal investigations and potential to be adopted as a permanent police tool, full implementation across the entire police service is hampered by cost.

The cost of the cameras themselves, at approximately $1,000 each, is not the problem according to the Deputy Chief, it is the "very significant cost" of back-end management, storage and the time it takes for law enforcement officials to review footage that is a critical concern.

“As a result, we will be proceeding with a graduated, multi-year deployment to officers involved in high-risk interactions with the public,” said Campbell.

As part of the BWV pilot project, 56 industry-standard cameras were issued to officers in:

  • Downtown Division and Beats
  • West Edmonton Mall
  • Whyte Avenue Beats
  • Impaired Driving Countermeasures Unit
  • Disaster and Emergency Operations Unit for a training exercise with Fire Rescue and EMS

The Deputy Chief acknowledged that there will also be an impact as video is submitted as evidence, and that EPS will need to work with partners at both the federal and provincial levels to define the in-court process.

According to the BWV project coordinator, privacy concerns were a major consideration of the project from the beginning and EPS worked closely with the Alberta privacy commissioner who provided valuable insight and recommendations.

Operational testing, which took place between October 2012 and July 2014, also explored the possible challenges associated with cameras and batteries in cold weather conditions.

The use of body worn cameras is not without its critics though. A one-year, $500,000 body camera pilot project launched in Toronto in May, sparked concerns by privacy groups over the use, safety and security of footage recorded by officers on the job.

At the time, Executive Director Sukanya Pillay of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association said body cameras can be a "good thing for accountability," but they raise a number of questions that need to be addressed.

Pillay said there must be strict controls on how footage is recorded, stored, flagged and accessed in order to protect citizens captured on film. "We have to make sure that privacy rights are protected," she said.

Based on the BWV pilot project findings, EPS has decided to proceed with a graduated deployment of cameras over the next two to five years.

EPS will continue to work with the justice system to effectively track the tangible benefits of BWV in the criminal justice system, partner with other agencies to improve policies and accurately track associated costs.

According to police, BWV footage will only be released to the public or media if there is a significant public need, such as, what they describe as, a duty to warn.

The BWV report is available to the public on the EPS website.