November 24, 2015
Sgt. Evel Kiez shows off the personal video cameras police will be wearing in Calgary, Alberta, on August 19, 2013. Mike Drew/Calgary Sun/QMI AGENCY
Please take a minute to read this story from the Calgary Sun on November 22, 2015. Officers at the scene of an OIS did not have time to activate their body-worn cameras (BWC) and did not record the shooting. Officers should never sacrifice officer safety to in order to activate a BWC. Clear policy on what types of events cameras should be activated, combined with training that teaches officers to turn on their cameras long before they arrive at the scene of the event, can minimize the chances officers find themselves unable to activate in exigent circumstances. There are current solutions for automatic activation from many BWC solution providers and I’m sure there will be more to come. Training, however, is the best cure. BWCs are a new tool and officers will be challenged in the near term to master its use. Train officers now to “project” the need to activate and do so as early as possible after receipt of a call for service or officer initiated action.
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