Barrie Police Worried How to Store Body Cam Footage

Local Law Enforcement Watching For Results of DRPS Pilot Project

The Barrie Police service paying attention to what’s going down in Durham Region. Its police service has just completed a year-long pilot project with body cameras.

Select officers wore these things out and about through Pickering and Ajax, and now a review of their use is underway, the cameras shelved until they’re done.

Barrie Police spokesperson Peter Leon says they’re eager to learn more form this, especially about what to do with all that video. “The thing that has to be determined well in advance of the purchase of these types of cameras is storage. How do you store the information that is downloaded off it? How long does it get stored for? It is evidentiary in nature, and that could be called upon at any time.”

Leon adds that, considering these videos are evidence, the chain of possession needs to be secure. “You want to make sure any information that is electronically obtained is properly secured and stored in a manner that is set out according to policy and procedure. That is something that has to be developed and approved in advance of any transition into that type of equipment for our officers.”

Officers wearing these cameras for the year-long test recorded 26,000 videos, about half of which were deemed evidence. About 30 per cent of those will play a part as evidence in court.

Another issue could be cost; a 2016 report to the Durham Regional Police Board indicates the full cost of implimenting these cameras to be $24 million.

The report on these body-worn cameras is expected in front of the Durham police board by the fall.

Banner image courtesy Durham Regional Police

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