Equip O​P​S and OP​P with Body Worn Video & Mic equipment now!

Equip Ottawa Police Services and Ontario Provincial Police with Body Cams Now!

In 2017, it was reported that the Ottawa Police Services had approved budgetary funds for development on a feasibility study on body worn cameras. To date no further information has been made public." - Body Worn Camera Steering Committee Final Report PSB 19-090. Hamilton Police Services Board, November 14, 2019.

CTV Ottawa: Ottawa Police to get body CAMERAS. ottawa.ctvnews.ca, January 2, 2018.

What is the hold up? Our municipal and provincial representatives have the energy and motivation to rally for CCTV footage surveillance, Clearview AI facial recognition, gun buy backs, social distancing policing and heavy fining and more. Yet, since 2016, calls for a solid funding and implementation plan to roll out Body Worn Camera (BCW) equipment has been met with scrutiny over the cost, pushback from Police leadership, and excuses that the cost is too high to the point that the issue has now fallen off public radar completely. 

I could explain all of the reasons why BCW offers benefits to both the community and Police officers via enhanced accountability, proven reduced officer-led misconduct, use of force and abuse of power, empowering officers and helping protect them from false allegations and complaints, and strengthening the integrity and standards of professionalism of the force.

But you're likely aware of the proposed benefits and so is Matt Skof, the President of the Ottawa Police Association, because years ago he publicly supported increased funding and prioritization by City Council to equip officers with BWC. If you ask the professional standards unit at OPS about BWC they will say the reason OPS isn't equipped with BWC like TPS and other forces boils down to a lack of funding. The trouble is, this has been said since 2016. It's 2020 - cut the bullshit. Edit: The other problem is that was another lie from Ottawa Police Services - not one TPS officer wears body cams, as confirmed in yesterday's news  The problem is not when police make mistakes on their job, its the confidence, certainty and trust that they take for granted when they do sloppy work. Another lie and another point of distrust when it comes to our city's police force. <SMH> 

Sign the petition and tell Premier Ford, Mayor Watson, and the OPS and OPP that we want greater accountability and transparency! We want proactive measures like BCW equipment to prevent major abuses of power and uphold rule of law. We want law enforcement to have the training and tools they need to confidently fulfill their oaths and duties to the community they serve without compromise to their own professional reputation and livelihoods. The OPS and OPP can roll out a pilot project that considers privacy, access and regulation issues through measures and meaningful collaboration with:

citizen-centred agencies

local community-led justice groups

independent third party oversight organizations

RVI Directorate

the Canadian Civil Liberties Association

The Ontario Ombudsman aka Ontario's Watchdog

OPS Community Development

OPS Diversity and Race Relations

Youth Advisory Committee

and more.

Ideally, BCW implementation would be extended to the National Capital Region to include the Outaouais Gatineau Police Force. However, the main goal of this petition will remain the same: we demand the OPS, municipal and provincial powers prioritize the funding and implementation of BCW Video and Mic equipment for Ottawa Police and OPP.

References:

*I've just seen this and I suggest you take a look too."Ottawa Police Harassment" raw video. We can do better, Ottawa. https://youtu.be/o_N3CnvTJ5M​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-police-body-cameras-2019-1.5359442​

https://globalnews.ca/news/6442933/canada-police-facial-recognition/​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-police-body-cameras-1.3492649​

https://www.1310news.com/2020/04/15/harsh-policing-and-big-fines-dont-make-people-safer-from-covid-19-criminologists/​

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4830496​

https://www.americasquarterly.org/fulltextarticle/will-the-widespread-use-of-body-cameras-improve-police-accountability-yes/​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/no-charges-siu-greg-ritchie-1.5472000​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/body-cameras-rnc-rcmp-1.5172233​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/asirt-investigate-calgary-police-involved-shooting-1.5261943