It'll be doing this before spending money on 550 cameras
You'll soon have a chance to give thumbs up, or down, to Niagara Regional police concerning body worn cameras.
The force will seek community feedback, before spending $950,000 on the equipment, then over $2-million annually the run them.
The NRP's Corporate analyst Hector Perez says most police forces have them, including London recently. "A study conducted in Miami, showed a reduction in court times, and processing times, also the investigation of complaints made from the public against police officers, some publicly available pilot studies showed a reduction in times."
Chief Bill Fordy adds they're not doing this simply because other police forces are.
There are plans to buy 550, of which Perez adds they are built for the tough demands of policing.
"So that means you can toss it away, you can put it under water, there's different circumstances, but the manufacturer estimates the camera lasts anywhere from 3 to 4-years, without any additional costs for the service."
He adds the cameras have been shown to increase police transparency.