Saskatchewan RCMP officers to begin wearing body-cameras [Video]

Front-line RCMP officers in Saskatchewan are being issued body-worn cameras this month, as part of a nationwide effort to increase “transparency and accountability.”

The RCMP says the cameras will be worn by front-line officers, who only have to turn them on “while in the lawful execution of their duties,” such as during a traffic stop or when talking to someone for the purpose of a police investigation.

The Fort Qu’Appelle detachment will be the first to receive the new equipment, with the Black Lake, Fond du Lac, Pelican Narrows, Onion Lake and Punnichy detachments phasing in over the next four weeks, the RCMP said in a news release on Monday.

All other detachments in the province will receive the cameras over the next eight to 12 months, the RCMP says.

Nationally, the RCMP estimates about 1,000 officers per month will migrate to the new system, with the force aiming to …