In August 2022, Council approved the Town of Cobourg’s Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Policy to implement the usage of body-worn cameras by Municipal Law Enforcement Officers during investigations and within the course of their operations. In September 2022, the cameras arrived to the Bylaw department and appropriate training is underway. This webpage contains information regarding body-worn cameras and how municipal bylaw officers will be utilizing them to enhance trust between Town staff and the community as well as improve enforcement reporting and accountability.
| How will I know if the officer’s camera is “on”? |
| If you have an encounter with a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, you will see the body worn camera in plain sight. The camera has lights that indicate it has been activated. Municipal Law Enforcement Officers must provide members of the public notice as soon as possible during an interaction that the body worn camera is in operation, the timing of this notice may vary. Any covert recording or personal-use recording is prohibited. |
| What if the encounter is in my private residence? |
| A Municipal Law Enforcement Officer must receive the fully informed consent of the owner or occupant of a private place or residence before they can activate their BWC at the location. The owner or occupant can request that an interaction not be recorded at any time during the officer’s attendance at the private place. If consent for recording is revoked by the owner or occupant, the officer shall deactivate their BWC or leave the private place or residence. When an officer enters a private place based on the consent of the owner/occupant, the officer must inform occupants as soon as reasonably possible of the use or intended use of a BWC and inquire whether these individuals request that the BWC be deactivated. |
| Where and how long will the recordings be retained? |
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In consultation with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, and in accordance with all applicable legislation, recordings from BWCs, including any meta-data produced by the BWCs or the technology supporting the Town’s BWC, will be:
In accordance with all applicable legislation, the minimum retention period for recordings from BWCs shall be 60 days. The recordings of evidence captured during an investigation shall be retained for a minimum of 2.5 years after the last event the evidence was used or disclosed. |
| How can I request recordings from a BWC? |
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A member of the public may request to view recordings from a BWC if the member of the public making the request is:
The identity of any other member of the public who appears in the recordings can be appropriately concealed through measures such as image blurring and voice distortion. The Town may refuse to release to the public recordings where such refusal is in accordance with MFIPPA, provided that the reason for the refusal is provided to the requester in writing. Contact the Legislative Services Department to learn more: 905-372-4301. |
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