Manitoba RCMP to start equipping officers with body-worn cameras as early as this week

Manitoba RCMP officers will soon be seen with body-worn cameras, with the police force saying the move is about being transparent and accountable.

It was announced on Wednesday that Steinbach will be one of the first detachments in Canada to receive these new cameras starting on Nov. 22.

It will be followed by Portage la Prairie, Amaranth, and Treherne in December and East St. Paul, Grand Marais, Selkirk, and St-Pierre-Jolys in January.

RCMP said 490 officers in 44 detachments will receive these cameras between now and April 2025, which includes a number of officers that work in First Nation communities.

The entire rollout for all of Manitoba is expected to take 18 months.

"Our first priority has always been to provide the very best in policing services. With today's launch, it truly demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the trust between Manitoba RCMP and the communities that we proudly serve throughout the province," said Assistant Commissioner Scott McMurchy.

Along with the cameras, a digital evidence management system will be set up in Winnipeg to store all the video that is collected.

The cameras do require advanced infrastructure to transmit the data, with McMurchy noting that can be a concern in some areas of the province.

"I'm very much aware of the connectivity issues that some of our areas in this province struggle with, primarily in northern Manitoba," he said. "However, I can assure you that we are working closely with our partners to ensure that every community that is policed by the RCMP, regardless of its location, will be able to support body-worn cameras as quickly as possible."

The cameras will sit on each officer's chest, and people will know the camera is recording when a red light is on below the camera lens.

Once the camera is returned to the docking station at the end of the shift, the video will be uploaded to the cloud. RCMP said only the officer and their supervisor have access to the footage, and if it is required, a request needs to be made first before others can view the footage.

As well, RCMP said the videos can't be edited.

McMurchy said it is policy for officers to turn their cameras on while interacting with the public, and if it is not turned on, it could result in a code of conduct investigation.