Last month, the RCMP began a phased implementation of body worn cameras (BWC) in the following BC communities: Tofino and Ahousat, Mission, Kamloops, Prince George and Cranbrook (including BC Highway Patrol). It is expected to take 15 to 18 months to get more than 3,000 cameras operational in RCMP-policed communities across BC.
Costs for BWC will be billed at a per capita rate. The rate is projected to be $1,640 per full-time employee (FTE) for the 2024-25 fiscal year, and is expected to rise to $2,570/FTE in 2025-26 and $2,892/FTE in 2026-27. The final rate will be based on the reconciliation of actual costs at the end of each fiscal year. Rates include costs for the camera, software, Digital Evidence Management System and support staff. Redaction, transcription and translation work will be completed at the divisional level and is included as part of the rate.
All contract partners will be billed for the 2024-25 fiscal year, but those that do not receive all of their cameras prior to March 31, 2025, will receive a credit to offset charges. This credit will be based on the number of cameras received and how long they have been operational.
While the federal government initially committed $238.5 million to fund this initiative for the first three years of operation, it later revised its position to fund only until April 2024. Because the project was delayed on several occasions, the funding period has now elapsed and local governments will assume financial responsibility for BWC at the applicable cost-share once implemented in their communities. Despite local government concerns and advocacy from UBCM, the federal government declined to extend the funding window.
The projected rate for the first three years currently sits below the federal government’s planning range ($2,000 – $3,000/FTE), but it is possible the rate will increase beyond $3,000 after the 2026-27 fiscal year.