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2mo ago

Lethbridge Police Begin Phased Rollout of Body-Worn Cameras

This response to an Alberta deadline balances evidence collection with privacy protections.

Herald photo by ALEJANDRA PULIDO-GUZMAN Staff Sgt. Kyle Meyers demonstrates how the new body-worn cameras will be used by front-line officers Thursday at the police station.
More than three years after a provincial mandate was issued, and with less than seven months left until the deadline, the Lethbridge Police Service is rolling out body cameras for officers. While 165 cameras were purchased, just nine will be used to start, while more will be rolled out over the next six months.--HANDOUT PHOTO

Overview

  • Lethbridge Police began a four-week pilot on June 15 that puts nine officers — eight patrol and one traffic member — into a phased program that will expand through November and equip all uniformed members by the end of 2026.
  • The service purchased 165 Axon Body 4 cameras and a Canadian-based digital evidence system to store recordings and to support courtroom and investigative needs.
  • Policy and training instruct officers to start cameras on arrival for most public interactions, with a visible red light when recording and rules requiring notice when safe and practical.
  • Footage will be retained on Canadian cloud servers for at least about 13 months with longer holds for court or investigations, and disclosure follows access and privacy laws with complaints about non‑use routed to LPS or the Alberta Police Review Commission.
  • The program carries recurring costs estimated at about $950,000 a year to cover software, cloud storage and four civilian media-disclosure staff who will manage, redact and release footage as required.