RCMP body-worn camera coming to Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Elk Point, and Lac La Biche

Lakeland area RCMP officers are going to be equipped with body-worn cameras soon. 

Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Elk Point, and Lac La Biche RCMP officers are part of the next wave of communities that will see frontline officers wearing body-worn camera. 

This is a nation-wide effort which will see all RCMP officers wearing them eventually in the rollout in 2025. 

St. Paul was part of the initial pilot project, and grew to 12 communities in Alberta. Now, another 11 Alberta detachments will join them. 

The effort is to provide more accountability and transparency with the RCMP, as well as provide unbiased evidence that can be used in the judicial process.

RCMP officers will wear the body-worn camera on their chest and the public will know it’s recording when red lights are flashing below the lens of the camera.

Over 2,000 body-worn cameras will be deployed during the first three months, and more than 10,000 body-worn cameras will be rolled out across the country when rollout is complete.

Also, body-worn cameras will not be used for surveillance, 24-hour recordings, settings with a high expectation of privacy (for example: washrooms, hospitals, treatment centres), nor during strip searches or internal body cavity searches.