Alberta is taking the lead and will be the first province to mandate all police services equip officers with body-worn cameras..The UCP said it's taking a step to hold the police in the province more accountable..“Mandating police body wear worn-cameras is a transformational decision that will ensure all interactions with officers are objective," Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said.."Whether living in large cities or smaller rural communities, Albertans have the right to feel safe and have trust that police will assist and be fair in doing so. Alberta will be the first province to mandate body-worn cameras as we work to position Alberta as a role model for safe secure communities across the country and North America.”.On Tuesday, the UCP said Alberta is building trust between police and communities with the new mandate..Body-worn cameras are small cameras worn on a law enforcement officer’s chest or head that do not limit mobility to record interactions with the public..The cameras have a microphone and internal data storage to save video footage..Ellis noted police officers are responding to calls that are more complex. These complex calls often require responding officers to take a well-thought-out, multi-prong approach while tensions are escalating..When decisions are made in a split second, there are times the public raises concerns about the actions taken and whether an appropriate use of force was used..Ellis said police responding to these calls need to have confidence in the actions they're taking, not doubting the actions they are trained to take. These doubts erode public safety and can create further delays in Alberta’s justice system causing violent criminals to stay on our streets longer..The UCP said it's working in partnership with the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police (AACP) to develop the mandate and standards required to implement the use of body-worn cameras province-wide in addition to working out costs and logistics..This work includes conversations with front-line police officers in Alberta, including all municipal police services and the three self-administered indigenous police services..“AACP looks forward to receiving details of the body-worn camera mandate to support transparency and further build trust within our communities and welcome the opportunity to work together to support this," Vice President of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police Chief Dean LaGrange said..Once deployed province-wide, the UCP said Albertans will have the assurance their engagements with police will be more transparent. With body cameras in place, it will be easier to review interactions with police services, which will help promote accountability..The UCP noted the most effective way to keep Albertans safe and secure in their communities is to build relationships and trust with the police that serves them..The UCP said Alberta is undergoing a paradigm shift of policing across the province where police transition from the strong arm of the state to an extension of the community they serve. The most effective way for police to become an extension of the community they serve is through building trust and relationships with the public..Currently, the RCMP is rolling out the program at the federal level, however, the UCP said it wants the province to be a leader and role model for policing in North America and across the world.
