Sault Police officers wear Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs) to enhance public trust, demonstrate accountability and transparency, and streamline investigations. These cameras will record interactions between officers and the public, providing valuable and objective evidence for investigations and prosecutions.
FAQs
Initiative
Why is the Service giving body-worn cameras to its police officers?
Body-worn cameras provide an unbiased, independent account of police/community interactions. They are an investment in the SSMPS’s commitment to delivering accountable and transparent policing services. Whether they are used to legitimize an engagement between an officer and a member of the public, provide evidence in court, or offer an unbiased alternative to allegations of misconduct, every frontline police officer will be equipped with a body-worn camera.
Who will be wearing a body worn camera?
All frontline officers, including Patrol Sergeants will be equipped with a body-worn camera
Privacy Guidelines
Are the cameras always on?
Body-Worn Cameras are not intended for 24-hour recording. Officers will activate their camera when interacting with a member of the public at the earliest opportunity that allows for officer safety.
How can I be sure the camera is on?
Officers are required to activate their cameras when interacting with a member of the public at the earliest opportunity. The camera must be unobstructed and the officer must advise the individual that the camera has been activated. The forward-facing lights on the camera will be flashing ‘red’ when recording.
If children or youth are involved, what happens with the cameras: do they stay on? What happens to the video?
The purpose of the camera is to record an officer’s interaction with the public during the course of their duties. Officers using cameras will balance privacy rights with law enforcement needs and are subject to guidelines set within our policy and Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). Officers will use discretion when a child/youth is involved in minimizing them being recorded.
Where will the body-worn camera data be stored?
As part of SSMPS BWC agreement, the body-worn camera data is encrypted and securely stored in a Canadian-based cloud system. Thus, the BWC data stored in this secure, cloud-base system remains inside Canadian borders.
Will body-worn cameras be used for facial recognition?
Body-worn camera footage will not be used as a facial recognition tool.
What if I am an innocent bystander and a body-worn camera records me?
Every reasonable effort to capture only the relevant incident will be made while the body worn camera is in operation. Any information inadvertently captured during an interaction will be protected. BWC Program personnel will be trained used to blur out parts of the video for information that could compromise the privacy of members and the public.
Regulation
Is there a policy or procedure that governs how officers use the body-worn camera?
Officers must follow the existing SSMPS policy and guidelines governing the use of their body-worn camera. Officers shall balance privacy rights with law enforcement needs and shall use discretion when de-activating their camera when it is safe to do so and the incident allows for it.
Who will be able to access the body-worn camera data?
Recorded data cannot be altered or deleted at any time. It can be viewed in real-time by the recording officer on their Connected Officer device. It can also be viewed by the officer and their supervisor once it has been uploaded to the cloud.
Who is permitted to edit the body-worn camera data?
No one is permitted to alter the original data file and any access to the original file is securely logged for auditing purposes.
However, in order to be compliant with various pieces of privacy legislation, it is necessary to create a secondary, vetted version such as for release under a Freedom of Information request.
Specially trained staff will create this vetted, secondary file ensuring only the appropriate information is released under the proper circumstances to the proper entity or person.
The original, unedited version will always be protected and available.
If I have been recorded, can I ask to see the video? Can I have it deleted?
All request to view or edit the data must be made through the relevant provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) and through a Freedom of Information Request. Videos will only be deleted in accordance with retention periods.
How long will camera footage be kept?
All data collected by a Body-Worn Camera is subject to the retention schedule set by our organization and in accordance with existing legislation surrounding Records & Information Management.
What happens if an officer does not follow procedures?
Like any other allegation of misconduct, complaints can be made to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency. Once investigated, officers may face any number of disciplinary actions, up to and including dismissal.