One year ago this month, the RCMP announced their plan to roll out body-worn cameras as an addition to their tools of the trade. Today, they say, 98 percent of Manitoba’s frontline officers are now equipped.

The body camera is a small black box that clips to the officer’s vest in one of two locations in the abdominal area. It has the capability to capture both video and audio recordings.

According to RCMP, the cameras are just one more way of providing transparency and accountability to the public.

“The body-worn camera has provided us with many useful tools that make everyday policing a lot easier,” says Corporal Jenelle Hulan of the Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Unit. “For example, taking statements and obtaining photos of scenes, victims, and suspects is extremely easy and the apps are excellent in tracking our movement during an investigation. Overall, this is a tool we needed in frontline policing to increase transparency and trust for both police and the public. Having concrete evidence that is uploaded and stored in such an easy manner also makes life easier when completing court packs.”

After each shift, the officer places his or her body camera in a charging port which also uploads the audio and video into a digital evidence management system to be stored there until and if it is needed in the future.

In just one year, the Manitoba RCMP have already accumulated almost 175,000 pieces of evidence from the 638 issued cameras in use. That evidence includes videos, images, audio statements, and documents.

Over 1,500 digital cases have already shared with Manitoba Prosecution Services as evidence.

“Without a doubt, body-worn cameras have quickly become an incredibly beneficial and important tool for our officers,” says Assistant Commissioner Scott McMurchy, Commanding Officer of the Manitoba RCMP. “The evidence collected through video footage has directly contributed to numerous investigations and has helped our organization become more transparent.”

While it’s proven to be a useful tool for investigating interactions with the public, McMurchy admits that it’s also an effective tool in performing internal investigations.

When an officer’s conduct is in question, the video might go to the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU) or the Professional Responsibilities Unit. McMurchy says it’s already helped the IIU expedite rulings on some use of force concerns that were sent their way.

“It’s a great evidentiary tool, it’s an officer safety tool, and it’s an accountability tool for the public and the officers,” he adds.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that the tool is also proving its worth as a de-escalation tool.

Corporal Hulan was stationed in Shamattawa First Nation when she first received her body cam. In the months that followed, it was quickly accepted by the community and even shaped how people responded to her.

“I’ve attended multiple calls for domestics,” Hulan says. “[There can be] a lot of resistance in letting me enter a residence and sometimes people get physically violent. [Now] they see [the camera] and, instead of fighting me, they realize it’s all being recorded… and they actually step away.”

What may be important for the public to know is that, if they have been recorded by an officer’s body cam, they have a right to view the video. The same is true for family members or others who may have a vested interest in the person caught on camera.

Body-worn camera footage will not eliminate the need for public input when it comes to providing evidence, though. McMurchy says the RCMP will still gladly collect and use videos caught on public cellphones, surveillance cameras, or dashcams.