Police board chair pushes for body camera pilot project after string of police-related deaths

A push to test police body cameras is on again at City Hall, after three recent officer-involved shootings with deadly outcomes.

Between late November and New Year's, Winnipeg police officers shot and killed three people in three separate incidents. Now the chair of the Winnipeg police board says it's time for a pilot project to see if technology can help reduce the number of tragic interactions.

"I think its incumbent upon us as the City of Winnipeg to look at this technology," said Markus Chambers. "If body worn cameras can address that, that's something we'd be interested in exploring."

The city has explored the idea before, but past attempts have been quashed due to the high costs. Chambers is set to soon meet with Manitoba's justice minister, and the agenda includes a discussion on a body camera pilot project.

Chambers wants to know if the video footage could be used as evidence, but also assist with training to reduce the number of use of force incidents by police.

The call for body cameras comes after three police-involved shooting deaths in Winnipeg in just over a month. A 39-year-old man was killed after police say an officer was pinned by a vehicle near Pembina Highway and Dalhousie Drive on Nov. 28. In late December police say a suspect died following a hostage situation on Furby Street. And on New Year's Eve, the death of a Afolabi Stephen Opaso, 19, on University Crescent. Police say he was armed with two knives.

Winnipeg police chief Danny Smyth said he has long supported body cameras.

"It's not a panacea to stop any of this necessarily, but it is a way for us to be more transparent and accountable for interactions that occur daily," said Smyth.

In 2021, a plan at City Hall stalled because of funding concerns. The program was estimated to cost $32 million over six years to buy the cameras and to monitor and store the video files. Chambers is looking for financial help from the province, but that may not prove easy.

"Our government won't cover the cost of the cameras but discussions with law enforcement and municipalities about these and other measures to keep Manitobans safe are ongoing," said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe in a statement to CTV News.

Money isn't the only issue. There are questions over privacy, whether the cameras can be turned off or not, and some feel the money would be better spent on badly-needed mental health and addictions services.

"To me it's a gross waste of taxpayer money and it's a backward accountability. It's reactive," said Kelly Gorkoff, chair of the University of Winnipeg's criminal justice department.

While a full program will likely cost millions, Chambers points to Vancouver where the price tag for a similar pilot program was around $300,000.