In June 2021, the Waterloo Regional Police Service launched a pilot project to utilize Body Worn Video (BWV) and In-Car Video (ICV) technology.
The project will include the deployment of 70 body-worn video cameras and 40 in-car video systems out of the WRPS North Patrol Division, as well as the Traffic Services Unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Why is WRPS undertaking this pilot project? |
WRPS is constantly seeking to improve, modernize, and incorporate technology to advance the policing profession. Body-Worn Video (BWV) and In-Car Video (ICV) systems will provide accountability and transparency while balancing privacy rights with law enforcement needs in a variety of ways, including:
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What are Body-Worn Video systems? |
Body-Worn Video systems are devices worn by officers that record audio and video interactions between community members and police officers. The footage from BWV systems can be used to demonstrate transparency to the community and to document statements, observations, behaviours, and other evidence. |
What are In-Car Video systems? |
In-Car Video systems are devices that are attached to a police cruiser to record audio and video for both outside facing activity and within the prisoner control area of the rear seat. |
What is the scope of this pilot project? |
This project will be multi-faceted, involving the use of video technology, the establishment of a comprehensive data management system, and the development of policy and procedures to govern the integrated programs. The lessons learned and performance indicators from this pilot project will be used to make recommendations to the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board in the fall of 2021 regarding the long-term feasibility of the program, including projected cost and support considerations. |
How many officers will be outfitted with this technology? |
Up to 70 frontline police officers from North Division will be outfitted with BWV technology. Seven police cruisers from the Traffic Services Unit and 33 cruisers from North Division, Neighbourhood Policing and Investigations, will be equipped with ICV as part of this pilot project. The project will launch in June 2021 and will run for the remainder of the year. Officers from specialized units, such as the Special Response Unit, may be equipped with this technology in a later stage of the pilot program. |
Will the community be consulted? |
This project will include engagement and input from project stakeholders, such as community groups and outside agencies with whom the WRPS regularly interacts. Engagement with community stakeholders will take place throughout the pilot program to gather feedback and input for the potential development of a permanent program. The WRPS Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Unit will assist in connecting the Modernization Project team with community groups with a vested interest in BWV technology for direct feedback. During the pilot, officers will make information sheets available to anyone who has interacted with officers wearing a BWV device. The information sheets will contain a QR code link to a voluntary survey to provide feedback on specific interactions. An online survey will also be made available to the entire community and an email address has been created for the community to interact directly with a project team member to ask questions and provide further feedback: Modernization@wrps.on.ca |
Privacy
How will concerns related to privacy be addressed? |
BWV and ICV systems will provide police accountability while balancing privacy rights with law enforcement needs. Internal procedures have been created with the assistance of the “Model Governance Framework for Police Body-Worn Cameras in Ontario” developed by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. These clear procedures will ensure proper, consistent and credible use of BWV and ICV technology. A Privacy Impact Assessment has been initiated by the Service to assess compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Compliance is an essential foundation to protecting the right of privacy. This assessment focuses on the collection, use, retention, disclosure, security and disposal of personal information for both technology systems. It also identifies the actual/potential effects BWV & ICV may have on an individual’s privacy and supports informed decision-making. |
What safeguards are in place to ensure the privacy rights of people who have been recorded? |
The Service has taken significant steps to ensure the security of the video once it has been recorded. These include, but are not limited to the following:
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If I am recorded, am I allowed to watch the video? Can I ask that it be deleted? |
Any request to view the data must be made through the WRPS Access to Information Unit and is governed by the relevant provisions of MFIPPA. Videos will only be deleted in accordance with retention periods.
A member of the public and/or their representative(s) may be allowed to view BWV and ICV recordings that capture an incident in which they were involved for certain purposes, such as:
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What if I am an innocent bystander and a Body-Worn Video or In-Car Video system records me? |
Officers will make every reasonable effort to capture only the relevant incident for which the BWV and ICV systems are in operation. Specific redaction tools are applied to blur out parts of the video and/or audio, if required, which could compromise personal information and the privacy of members and the public. |
Does the technology have facial recognition? |
No. Body-worn and in-car video does not automatically identify individuals using facial recognition or compare images to any database. |
Procedure
Will the video be released for other means? For training? To the media? |
It is expected that some incidents captured by the BWV and ICV systems could be used by WRPS to improve performance and to provide necessary training. There are restrictions and process within procedure that dictate when videos can be used for this purpose, including closed investigation/court proceeding and consultation with the WRPS Access to Information Unit to ensure all necessary vetting has been completed to protect the privacy of all individuals.
Unlike other jurisdictions, there are significant privacy implications in Canada and Ontario that govern any Canadian police agency’s ability to release footage from the BWV and ICV systems. If it was determined that a video may protect the public and/or further an investigation, it may be vetted for release in the same way security videos are released. In every case, the privacy of victims and uninvolved members of the public will always be considered. |
How will I know if a BWV system is “on” during my interaction with an officer? |
All officers will wear the Body-Worn Video system in plain view. The BWV device has an indicator light when actively recording. Officers will be required, when possible, to advise individuals that they are speaking with at the earliest opportunity that their BWV system is recording. The timing of this notice may vary depending on the context of the encounter. |
What will happen if someone asks for the video to be turned off? |
The only time a request to turn off a Body-Worn Video system will be actioned is when an officer has entered a private residence or place and the owner/occupant does not provide consent to record. Officers will be permitted to activate the BWV systems under exigent circumstances when consent is not provided. |
When will the BWV system be turned on and turned off? |
An officer will turn on the Body-Worn Video system prior to arriving at a call for service; when they start investigating an individual; or, whenever they are enforcing the law. The video will be used to capture investigative and enforcement activities and is not to be used to carry out general surveillance surreptitiously. An officer will turn off the Body-Worn Video system when the call for service, investigation, or enforcement is complete. An officer is also allowed to turn the video off for the following reasons:
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How do the police manage the initial contact with a victim, patient, uninvolved staff or other member of the public? |
Officers will be trained to be aware of interactions with the public that may be sensitive in nature, such as when children are present, during a sexual assault or domestic violence investigation, or when a person is in a state of undress. Body-Worn Video systems will typically not be used in hospitals, places of worship, schools, etc. Recording in private locations is only permitted with permission or in exigent circumstances. |
What training will officers undergo prior to the launch of the pilot project? |
Officers will receive equipment training directly from the device manufacturer and will receive extra training on procedures related to privacy, security, retention, redaction, and storage of the footage gathered from the video systems from Service experts. A portion of this training was created based on the Governance Framework produced by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. |
Is there a policy or procedure that governs how officers use the technology? |
Yes, a procedure has been created and approved to govern the use of this technology. It provides officers with operational direction that includes, but is not limited to, recording in private and public places; retention and security of videos; and responsibilities for supervisors and Senior Leaders. |
What happens if the officer doesn’t follow procedure? |
The Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) has established organizational-wide controls to ensure secure storage, transfer, and disposal of all recordings created by the BWV &ICV system (including records containing audio, video files and meta-data). These controls govern any wrongful access, attempts to defeat security measures, and inappropriate or personal use of this infrastructure.
Like any other allegation of misconduct for non-compliance with a procedure, complaint investigations can be initiated by the Chief of Police or made to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD). Once substantiated, officers may face any number of disciplinary actions, up to and including dismissal. |
Will officers be able to watch the video whenever they choose? |
Officers will be assigned their own Body-Worn Video system and will have the capability to only watch video recorded from their own personal unit. Other investigative units will have the capability of reviewing the footage for investigative needs as required only. There are strict auditing measures in place that track who opens and watches any video. |
Storage and Security
How long will the Body-Worn Video data be stored? |
BWV that is not being used as evidence to support a prosecution will be retained for a 30 month period, which takes into consideration the current civil limitation period of 24 months plus the time to serve a claim of 6 months. If the video footage is required as evidence in a court proceeding, then the footage will be retained in accordance with existing evidence retention periods. |
Where will the Body-Worn Video data be stored? |
WRPS is participating in the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s provincial program that will be introducing a standardized digital evidence management system to all police services across the province using a Canadian cloud-based storage system. The data will be stored within this system. |
How will the data from the Body-Worn Video systems be downloaded? |
At the end of every shift, officers will dock their BWV systems into porting stations in their unit/division. Once docked, the data will automatically be uploaded to the cloud-based storage system. |
Who will be able to access the Body-Worn Video data? |
Strict controls have been developed to govern who has access to the video footage. The recording officer will have access to their own video data, along with their supervisor (for auditing purposes) and some officers from specialized investigative units. Anyone else who is required to view the video will submit a formal request for access. This process comes with a robust auditing and tracking system. |
Who is permitted to edit the Body-Worn Video data? |
Recorded data cannot be altered or deleted at any time by the recording officer. Only members of the Media Disclosure Unit, a centralized file preparation unit, will be permitted to edit/vet the Body-Worn Video data, as per Service procedures covering video recordings. The original, unedited version will always remain in the cloud-based storage system. |
How much will this pilot project cost? |
The total expected financial cost for this pilot is estimated at $250K to $350K, spread across multiple vendors. As of May 20, 2021, $159K has been committed to the funding of this project. |
Let Us Know What You Think
We have launched our new body-worn and in-car video pilot project, and we want to hear from you!
Let us know how we’re doing with the technology, what you think the benefits are, and what concerns you may have.
Participation is anonymous and voluntary.
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