Body Worn Cameras

As part of the RCMP's Vision150 modernization plan, we will be rolling out body worn cameras and a digital evidence management system (DEMS) to RCMP officers across the country.

Project objectives

• Strengthening transparency, accountability and public trust
• Improving evidence gathering
• Resolving public complaints more quickly
• Improving police and public behaviour

Why we will use body-worn cameras

The public should always feel protected and respected by the police. Body-worn cameras can help increase trust between police and the communities they serve, because:

• they show what happens during interactions with police
• videos can be used as evidence for complaints or in court
• they can encourage better police and public behaviour

Which RCMP officers will wear body-worn cameras?

All RCMP officers who interact with the public will wear a body worn camera.

Phased roll-out

The procurement process is on-going. The exact timeline for the Body Worn Camera roll out will be confirmed once a vendor is selected, but is expected to be in the first half of 2022. The first phase of the roll-out will have cameras in three settings:

• urban
• rural
• northern/remote locations

The exact locations have not been identified yet.

Following the initial deployment, the remaining cameras will be rolling out over the following 18 months.

Key facts

We estimate we will need a total of 10,000 to 15,000 cameras. Exact numbers will be available once a contract is awarded.

The project is complicated because of the large amount of video that RCMP officers will record and the need to upload data to a cloud-based solution. These recordings need to be stored and managed, often in remote areas that do not have high-speed internet and other technical services that are available in larger cities. Once a vendor is selected, we will be working closely with them on all aspects of our deployment.

Get up-to-date information on the body-worn camera project and other RCMP modernization activities by visiting our Vision150 tracker.

Stakeholder engagement

We know there's a lot of interest in body worn cameras and how this change impacts communities. To raise awareness about this initiative and to ensure we understand the potential impacts, we've been meeting with various organizations, groups, and community members across Canada. If you're interested in being part of this conversation, let us know at bwc_consultations_cvc@rcmp-grc.ca.

Date modified:

2021-12-09