A photo of an officer wearing a body camera.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/RCMP

The Kelowna RCMP detachment is the latest in B.C. to get body worn cameras.

Kamloops RCMP announced its officers would start using the body cameras back in November along with detachments in Mission, Prince George, Cranbrook, Tofino and Ucluelet. The cameras are being slowly rolled out across the province over the next 18 months.

Officers in the Central Okanagan, including the Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country detachments, will start getting the video cameras at the end of the month, according to a Kelowna RCMP media release.

“Body worn cameras have become the National Standard and the Kelowna, Central Okanagan RCMP are excited to be among the first RCMP detachments in British Columbia to deploy this highly anticipated equipment," acting officer in charge Insp. Chris Goebel said in the release.

READ MORE: B.C. police agencies tout rollout of body-worn cameras

Police will have to turn the cameras on during service calls or active investigations, but will then turn them off. The cameras will have a flashing red light while recording.

"The muscle memory that we're training officers to build in is essentially seatbelt off, camera on," RCMP corporate management officer Taunya Goguen said at a media conference in November.

Chief Supt. Holly Turton said the RCMP has been using body cameras in a “limited capacity” since 2010 and between 10,000 and 15,000 body cameras are going to be used across the country.

The federal government has allocated $238.5 million for the initiative in 2020, but it isn’t clear if that will be enough money for the whole program.

“These cameras are a vital step in modernizing policing, play a crucial role in fostering better interactions with the public, enhance evidence collection, build trust in law enforcement, resolve public complaints more efficiently and support officer safety. We are excited to equip our officers with this innovative technology bringing its benefits directly to our community,” Insp. Goebel said.

READ MORE: Kamloops cops to get body cameras as rollout starts

The videos recorded on the body cameras can’t be edited and officers are not allowed to delete their own videos. The recordings will be kept anywhere from 30 days to two years, depending on what was recorded.

Insp. Goguen said the program "will be important for the police and communities to increase transparency, providing information about what occurs during those interactions."

She also said the camera program is "in response to concerns raised by racialized communities and meant to address systemic racism."

The videos recorded will be accessible to the public through Access to Information and Privacy requests to the federal government.

— With files The Canadian Press

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