After years of debate over body-worn cameras in Hamilton police are now asking for $15.5 million to begin phasing them into service.
Police Chief Frank Bergen said Hamilton Police have studied body-worn cameras since 2014 and believe now is the time to bring them on as they roll out new measures and data regarding hate crimes and use of force.
“It’s a game changer with respect to the interpretation of public trust, it’s a game changer with respect to gathering evidence for investigations, and it’s a game changer for officer and community safety,” said chief Bergen.
Chief Bergen says the service is looking to acquire 650 mini cameras to equip officers with during interactive police work.
“We’ve been able to systematically show the board that we have a true approach to the implementation of body-worn cameras. We’ve heard loud and clear from the community, when we’re now in the conversations about race and identity-based data, when we are talking about hate crime community review team,” said Bergen.
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The plan was presented to the police services board on Thursday. It requested $15.5 million over five years, to purchase the hardware, software and seven additional staff members for the program.
Police say the price ask includes $4.5 million already being spent on licensing and data storage with the camera company Axon.
More than $10 million new dollars will be required for the next five years.
“This will not be a budget pressure for 2024. Right now we currently we have our 78 in-car cameras and automated license plates this will be a net new budget for 2025 and beyond,” said Chief Bergen.
Police add that the bulk of cost is buried in the digital infrastructure. Cloud-based capacity was built in when police installed cameras for their cruisers and technology for license plate identification.
Body-worn cameras are gradually becoming a common resource for police services across Canada, whether through a pilot project or full implementation.
Four years ago when a petition drew 14,000 signatures calling for cameras in Hamilton.
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However, the idea of recorded interactions has sparked debate regarding their use.
“My worry would be that it could be problematic for somebody who is vulnerable in our community, having a camera put on them from a police officer and we might erode some of the relationships,” said Hamilton mayor Andrea Horwath.
Questions also remain about if the technology will reduce complaints or situations involving the use of force.
“How are we going to be assessing, whether or how are we going to track how this program is performing?” said Dr. Anjali Menezes a Police Services Board member.
“It will benefit, it’s not that we wouldn’t get convictions necessarily but it certainly becomes more impactful and that evidence becomes better evidence,” said Sargent Scott Moore from Hamilton Police.
No decision was made on Thursday’s police board meeting because not every board member was in attendance and they wanted those absent to be involved.
The matter has been pushed to the next meeting on May 23.