When Delta Police Sgt. Jim Ingram double taps the device attached to the front of his gear, it begins blinking red and beeping.

Then he tells the person he91裸聊视频檚 interacting with that he91裸聊视频檚 now recording. It91裸聊视频檚 something Ingram has had the ability to do for the past two years since Delta Police began deploying frontline officers with body-worn cameras.

91裸聊视频淔or the vast majority of interactions, when you tell somebody that they91裸聊视频檙e being recorded it keeps everything fairly calm and even level on both sides. From an evidentiary standpoint, it91裸聊视频檚 fantastic because that the recording the video, the audio, the recall of the event is brilliant. It91裸聊视频檚 a whole lot better than hand-writing notes after the fact.91裸聊视频�

On Thursday (Jan. 11), the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police hosted a media event touting the current and future implementation of body-worn cameras for police agencies throughout the province.

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The association formed a committee in 2021 mandated 91裸聊视频渢o identify best practices by ensuring consistency and standard operating procedures, policies, disclosure procedures and communications,91裸聊视频� said Deputy Chief Anita Furlan with the Metro Vancouver Transit Police.

She said police expect the technology to improve interactions with the public and help resolve complaints more quickly.

Furlan, a vice-president with the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, said video evidence is valuable in court proceedings because it 91裸聊视频渟hows exactly what is occurring.91裸聊视频�

Ron MacDonald said the camera footage is an eye into the interactions of police and the public, but it91裸聊视频檚 not perfect.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just the camera, and obviously an officer91裸聊视频檚 perspective includes his or her peripheral vision, their other senses, what they hear, what they feel, the tension of the situation.91裸聊视频�

MacDonald is the chief civilian director of the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. 91裸聊视频� the agency that investigates police involvement with civilians that involve injuries or deaths 91裸聊视频� and he said he91裸聊视频檚 been calling for all frontline police officers in the country to be equipped with body-worn cameras.

91裸聊视频淎s with any video, they don91裸聊视频檛 necessarily capture all the relevant information. But certainly that type of video taken from a very important perspective, together with the other evidence will greatly assist us in the work we do,91裸聊视频� MacDonald told Black Press Media Thursday.

He said people as witnesses 91裸聊视频渟uffer from many frailties,91裸聊视频� such as memory recall, which can impact the quality of their evidence.

91裸聊视频淭he stress of a situation, memory can play tricks on people.91裸聊视频�

If the IIO is investigating a subject officer and they chose to give a statement, MacDonald said the officers are directed to not look at the video footage prior to.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 our view that video can impact memory quite significantly,91裸聊视频� MacDonald said.

However, the IIO doesn91裸聊视频檛 compel officers who are the subject of an investigation to submit notes, reports or data. Of the 53 publicly released reports by the IIO in 2023, only four included some form of notes or interview from the subject officer. But MacDonald said the IIO would 91裸聊视频渁bsolutely91裸聊视频� request the footage if the subject officer chooses to not speak with investigators.

Overall, MacDonald said the eventual rollout of body-worn cameras 91裸聊视频渉elps to enhance the public91裸聊视频檚 faith in the work that police do because it shows that the police are prepared to be transparent about their interactions.91裸聊视频�

Beyond the IIO, video footage can also be used by the B.C. Prosecution Service, which determines if charges will be laid, and the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, which oversees and monitors complaints and investigations against municipal police jurisdictions.

Asked if she thinks all interactions should be recorded, deputy police complaint commissioner Andrea Spindler said it91裸聊视频檚 a balancing act, citing important privacy considerations.

Ingram agreed.

91裸聊视频淥n one hand, there91裸聊视频檚 expectations that the police are equipped with body cam recording. On the other hand, there91裸聊视频檚 expectations that people have the right to privacy,91裸聊视频� he said.

Spindler said that looking at some statistics, the OPCC has only ever had a couple of complaints involving the Delta Police Department where there was body-worn camera footage.

For her, the interesting part will begin one or two years down the road to see if the footage leads to more timely resolutions.

91裸聊视频淲hat will in fact be the impact on complaints investigations and has that really improved police accountability and enhance public trust in police?91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频� With files from The Canadian Press