By Aurélie Latulippe

Publié le 11 mars 2026

Body-cameras first appeared in 2005, in England. It was the first pilot program. It was meant to improve transparency and accelerate justice process. Many years later, multiple police departments from all around the world have adopted it. 

Indeed, it is high time to equip Quebec police officers with body cameras to ensure the safety of police officers and civilians and rebuild trust between them. But it is expensive.  

I asked two SQ police officers in Alma if they thought we should have body cameras in Quebec and why. They both answered “Yes.” Officers Jean and Gauthier mentioned that their use would ensure the safety of police officers and civilians. The use of body cameras would also protect civilians and police officers when the use of force is necessary during an intervention. For piece of evidence, body-worn cameras would be helpful because: “You can contest what the police officer says, but you cannot contest what the camera says.” There was a pilot project in Val d’Or, but unfortunately, they do not think it will happen here soon. Finally, officer Gauthier compared body cameras to their service weapon by explaining that every police officer should have one and it is essential.  

Body cameras will help rebuild trust between the police and citizens. Being filmed can be reassuring for police officers, because it allows them to prove that they have not made any mistakes or abused their power. On the other hand, citizens might have difficulty to defense themselves, because truth will have been filmed, but this will ensure that it is criminals in prison, not innocent people. Confidence in our justice system would be restored. In addition, bodycams will protect people from racist interventions and limit bad police officers. Situations like George Floyd’s death will never happen again, as strength required will be used.  

However, the project of having all police officers wearing body cameras is expensive. In Nunavut, this project was a success, but it cost 93,619.10$. The main financial challenges are maintenance, hardware and video storage. The Canadian government has allocated a budget of 238.5 million dollars over six years and 50 million per year for the implementation of the body camera system.  

In conclusion, Quebec must equip all police officers with body cameras, because even though it will cost a lot of money, the benefits are worth it. Furthermore, the use of body cameras is linked to goal 16 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which is “peace, justice, and strong institutions.” This would ensure safety and restore trust in the police. In addition, it would reduce the risk of physical interventions and injuries or deaths

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.axon.com/resources/police-body-cameras  -The history of police body cameras: from invention to innovation -Axon -Many police department see benefits of body cameras over years, but there are also major challenges like finance. “Initial results were promising: officers in the counties said the cameras deterred bad behavior and successfully provided strong evidence.” 

https://www.nunavutnews.com/home/rebuilding-trust-between-the-police-and-the-public-7603075  -Rebuilding trust between the police and the public – Nunavut news -2024-11-04 – Body cameras is a good project that is working well and have many benefits for police and public. – “The body camera pilot project in Iqaluit, which cost $93,619.10, was deemed a success overall, especially in terms of improving police-civilian relations.”  

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/2120301/rcmp-prepares-to-deploy-body-cameras-to-thousands-of-officers-nationwide  -RCMP prepares to deploy body cameras to thousands of officers nationwide -RCI -2024-11-15 -Progress on the project to equip all RCMP officers with body cameras. – “Over the next nine months, roughly 1,000 frontline RCMP officers per month will deploy with Axon Public Safety Canada Inc.'s cameras.” 

https://rcmp.ca/en/body-worn-cameras#s2  -Body-worn cameras-Royal Canadian Mounted Police-2025-08-08-All information about body cameras, like the cost and citizens privacy. – “RCMP officers will be required to complete their notes of an incident before watching the body-worn camera footage.”