RCMP begin body worn camera rollout in Mission
Mission
2024-11-21 11:30 PST
The RCMP is pleased to announce the roll-out of Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs) to six communities in British Columbia in its first phase beginning November 24, 2024.
Approximately, 300 cameras will go to frontline police in Mission, Tofino, Ucluelet, Cranbrook and the Cranbrook British Columbia Highway Patrol (BCHP), Kamloops and Prince George, in that order. Fort St. John and the surrounding Peace Region will roll-out the cameras in January 2025.
Citizens in Mission will be the first in the province to see its RCMP officers wearing the cameras during frontline duties.
We are pleased to be among the first communities in BC to bring the body worn cameras to the frontline,
says Mission Detachment Commander, Inspector Ted Lewko. I anticipate the cameras will not only strengthen public trust, but I also expect them to resolve public complaints quicker, improve evidence gathering tasks and clients’ behaviours
adds Insp. Lewko.
Transcription
[Two uniformed RCMP police officers are standing in front of the Mission Detachment and walk toward the camera. They walk a few steps and then stop side-by-side next to a marked police vehicle that is parked.
Constable Paul Gill (Media Relations Officer - Mission RCMP): This week, Mission RCMP officers will start wearing body worn cameras like this. Mission is the first RCMP detachment in BC to use the cameras on the frontline.
[Cst. Gill points to the body worn camera that is worn on his police vest.]
Inspector Ted Lewko (Officer in Charge - Mission RCMP): As the detachment commander, I am pleased that your RCMP officers will be among the first in BC to use body-worn cameras here in Mission. As citizens, you will see frontline officers wearing the cameras as part of their regular frontline duties.
[While the two officers speak, there is video of three uniformed RCMP officers walk on a street. The sky is blue and the sun is shining. Each of the three officers are wearing a body worn camera.]
Insp. Lewko: At the earliest opportunity, the officer will inform you that the camera is on. When the camera is on, it is recording audio and video of the interaction.
[The video then shows one female uniformed officer turning on the body worn camera while speaking with a civilian wearing a grey coat. The civilian is with her black dog and they are at a local park.]
[The video shows Constable Gill and Inspector Lewko in front of the detachment building standing side by side.]
Cst. Gill: Mission residents can find out more about the cameras at bc.rcmp.ca.
[Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gendarmerie royale du Canada]
[© His Majesty the King in Right of Anada, as represented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2024.]
[Canada]
Statement of Inspector Ted Lewko
I’m Inspector Ted Lewko, the Officer-in-Charge at Mission Detachment. I’m very pleased that our frontline officers will be the first in the division to use the cameras.
Mission is an excellent starting place for the project team to start the roll-out. We are a smaller detachment within the Lower Mainland with an anticipated 44 cameras to be deployed next week. We have the technical capability, location and operational considerations to make us a good fit for being first out of the gate.
All of our frontline members have completed the online portion of the body-worn camera training.
During the first week of deployment, the BC project team will be on site in Mission to deliver the in-person training. Members will be issued their individual cameras at the in-person training sessions and are then expected to start their current shift or their next, operating the cameras.
On a personal note, I am grateful that our officers will soon be wearing and utilizing these cameras. I anticipate that body-worn cameras will not only strengthen public trust—an important aspect to me personally—but I also expect them to resolve public complaints more quickly and to improve the efficiency of evidence gathering tasks. I am also very hopeful that it will also improve the safety of my frontline officers.
I am pleased that Mission is the first community in BC to bring the cameras to our detachment and the citizens of those we serve so that we may continue to build public trust and confidence.
Learn about:
Released by:
Staff Sergeant Kris Clark
E Division Media Relations Officer
BC RCMP Media Line: 778-290-2929
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