St. Paul RCMP detachment part of body-worn camera pilot project

Once implemented, every frontline RCMP officer will be equipped with a body-worn camera. 

The St. Paul RCMP is one of the detachments that is part of a pilot project for Mounties to wear body cameras.

Announced in early February, this pilot at the St. Paul detachment will take place for 8-10 weeks, but is being prepared for roll-out nationwide.

Grande Prairie and Parkland County have each been selected as well as St. Paul for Alberta’s piloting with the new equipment.

This is efforts to be more transparent and accountable.

Field tests will see their body-worn cameras in the middle of their chest, and the public will know it’s recording when a red light is visible on the camera.

Discussion around body-worn cameras heated up in 2022. The first field tests in Canada happened in May 2023, and this is the second stage of piloting.

Roughly 10,000-15,000 cameras will be deployed.

Alberta RCMP said this is part of the final stages, where the information and data collected from these field tests will help with implementation across Canada. 

“Should the contractor demonstrate the ability to meet all contractual requirements during field tests, they will be confirmed as the provider of body-worn cameras and the digital evidence management system for the RCMP,” an Alberta RCMP release dated Feb. 2 said. 

“Following field tests, a national roll out will proceed in a phased approach and is expected to take 12 to 18 months. Once complete, body-worn cameras and a digital evidence management system will become the national standard for general duty frontline RCMP officers.”