Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) has announced that body worn cameras (BWCs) will be deployed to uniformed, front-line officers later in 2021.
In June 2018, DRPS launched a BWC pilot project. This year-long pilot deployment saw officers from two platoons in West Division, Regional Traffic Enforcement officers and members of the Festive R.I.D.E. team equipped with BWCs. They were worn overtly by the officers and were activated during investigative contacts with members of the public.
“The purpose of the pilot deployment was to determine the value of BWCs to the DRPS, our partners and the community regarding evidence collection, trust, transparency, accountability and service effectiveness. After deployment ended, the pilot was evaluated, focusing on officer and community perceptions, prosecutions and workload analysis,” said a DRPS statement.
The findings of the BWC pilot project were presented to the Police Services Board in September 2020. The board recommended the adoption of BWC as a part of their draft Action Plan for Enhancing Trust and Confidence in Policing in Durham Region. On February 24, 2021, the funding was approved by Regional Council.
Phased deployment
DRPS will conduct a phased deployment across the region, over three budget years. The 2021 budget includes $2.03 million in funding for this new program. The funding includes costs for technology, services, training and staffing to support this new program.
In this next phase, the BWC team will begin information and consultation sessions with partners, stakeholders and members of the community. Once these consultations are complete, BWCs will be deployed to uniformed, front-line officers. This is expected to occur later in 2021.
DRPS will be keeping the community up to date on the progress of the project and as the devices are being deployed across the Region.