Greater Sudbury police are expected to receive their first batch of 30 body-worn cameras in December, with the initial group of members slated to begin wearing them in January.
At this point, they’ll become “an integral component of GSPS operations,” according to a report by Insp. Robert Norman, which the board requested for their Oct. 16 meeting.
The body-worn cameras have become a point of contention in recent weeks due to the fact the board approved them in 2021 for a 2022 rollout, and there still aren’t any in use.
Last month, board member Gerry Lougheed pointed this out, and asked, “Is three years appropriate?”
Deputy Chief Natalie Hiltz (serving as acting chief prior to Sara Cunningham being named chief shortly thereafter) explained that much has been done on the back end to prepare for the data dump the cameras are anticipated to bring.
In a report tabled for the Oct. 16 police board meeting, it’s noted that police plan on receiving their first shipment of 30 body-worn cameras in December, at which time the service will conduct an initial round of training.
The first group to receive body-worn cameras in January will be members of the Emergency Response Unit and Traffic Management Unit.
Their use of body-worn cameras will be reviewed throughout this first pilot year, with a complete service-wide deployment and training of members expected to take place one year later in January 2026.
During this one-year rollout, Norman’s report notes, “we will closely monitor the initial deployments, making necessary adjustments to our workflows and evaluating the resource demands on our Digital Evidence Management System,” as well as assess staff needs and perform audits.
“Should any delays arise, our phased model allows us to recalibrate subsequent timelines without compromising the integrity of the project.”
Of the $3.3 million approved for body-worn cameras and controlled energy weapons in 2021, approximately $1.7 million for body-worn cameras remains unused. Pulling funds from savings in their controlled-energy weapon contract, available funds hit almost $2 million.
Full deployment will require an additional expenditure of $3.76 million between now and 2030.
In keeping with past comments by Greater Sudbury police leadership, Norman reaffirmed their commitment to implementing body-worn cameras in his report.
“Our phased approach to the BWC rollout is designed not only to enhance operational efficiency but also to align with the expectations of our community for clear, open communication and responsible use of public resources,” according to his report, which pledges regular public updates on the progress of their implementation.
The Oct. 16 police board meeting begins at 10 a.m. and can be viewed in-person in council chambers at Tom Davies Square. The meeting can also be livestreamed via Zoom by clicking here. The meeting ID is 874 5553 5165 and the passcode is 532854.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
