RCMP moving forward with body cams, police board hears

Halifax RCMP is progressing with its rollout of wearing body-worn cameras, the force told the board of police commissioners Wednesday.

Supt. Don Moser, the officer in charge of the Halifax RCMP, said the body camera rollout is advancing and that some of the training is being implemented in several locations.

The Musquodoboit Harbour detachment is next on the list for training next week. Other detachments such as Sheet Harbour and North Preston are on schedule for training in January. Tantallon, Cole Harbour and Sackville would get their training in February and March.

“We have done some deliberate community consultation to inform them what is going on, what they anticipate. Officers are being trained. The systems are there, the structure is in place,” said Moser.

He said the force is ready to make a presentation about body-worn cameras to the board.

He also told The Signal that the force has received positive feedback on the cameras from the African Nova Scotian community and said it has been actively engaged with the community.

The RCMP said rolling out the body cameras would cost about $2.4 million per year. This includes the cost of staff, and more details will be brought at the municipality’s next budget session.

Also at the meeting, the board swore in Halifax regional councillor Virginia Hinch (District 8 North End) as its newest commissioner.

Hinch said that at this early stage of her political career, she just wants to learn and understand what the board does to support the community.

“I always go back to what has happened over the past couple of years with the street checks, with the shootings that have happened so far, I will hope for less street checks, less shootings in the HRM,” Hinch told the Signal.

Hinch was added to the board to replace Lindell Smith, the previous councillor for District 8, who declined to run for re-election.

Board vice-chair Gavin Giles used the opportunity to thank the police for laying wreaths at the Halifax Cenotaph. He said, as an aging child of two Second World War combat veterans, both of whom signed up at the age of 18, he was happy to see officers from both the RCMP and the Halifax Regional Police at the Cenotaph during Remembrance Day ceremonies.

“It’s really heartwarming and it makes sense of my pledge to my mother, that as long as I have breath, I will stand for her at the Cenotaph,” he said.