(Supplied/RCMP)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

new 'everything red deer podcast' episode

Sylvan Lake RCMP first in central Alberta to get body cams

Feb 21, 2025 | 1:03 PM

This January, Sylvan Lake RCMP became the first detachment in central Alberta to have its members utilize body-worn cameras.

It was November 2024 when the RCMP began its national deployment of the cameras, with the goal of getting them on 1,000 more members each month.

That would mean more than 90 per cent of the force, across Canada, would have a camera attached by November 2025, with full deployment complete by sometime in early- to mid-2026.

Staff Sergeant Jay Peden, commanding officer for Sylvan Lake’s 22 members, spoke with rdnewsNOW about how the cameras’ benefits go both ways.

LISTEN TO THE NEW EPISODE OF THE EVERYTHING RED DEER PODCAST, FEATURING OUR CHAT WITH S/SGT. JAY PEDEN OF SYLVAN LAKE RCMP

shocked, disappointed, but fight not over

Judge denies injunction against closure of Red Deer's overdose prevention site

1h ago

$100K Donation

RDP unveils Alumni Legacy Way and introduces new Student Industry Engagement Fund

3h ago

EFFECTIVE MARCH 31

Red Deer green cart collection returning to weekly schedule

4h ago

“This is a mandatory piece of equipment that we use in our day-to-day operations and duties,” says Peden.

“It’s a great tool to collect the evidence to give that perspective of what’s happening at the time … [because] quite often, a lot of situations we go to can be quite elevated emotionally, and this gives us that clear picture of exactly what’s happening. That includes our members, their actions, comments and reactions, all being recorded.”

This means more accountability for the police, and increased transparency to the public, he explains.

To be clear, Peden says, an officer is required to turn on their camera during any call for service, or situation where there may be any concern it could escalate. That includes traffic stops, he says.

As for the cameras themselves, they are the Axon Body 4 model, made by U.S.-based company Axon.

For each member to have a camera, Peden says, it costs approximately $3,000 annually. If a member is off for whatever reason, the costs are cut until they return; conversely, if new members are added or damages occur, there are extras to bring online.

Once a video is recorded, it’s automatically uploaded to a secure server called the Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS), which is where investigators later access it to review evidence.

“With something new and when it’s technology being rolled out, there’s going to be some hiccups. Members are getting used to that muscle memory of ‘Yeah, I’ve got to turn this camera on,'” Peden says.

“Challenges to come out of this can also be the overwhelming amount of video that needs to be redacted to protect people’s privacy.”

On that note, Peden says the system will track any person who’s opened a video file in the DEMS, and any action taken with the file, including altering it; thus, there’s very little to no reason to be concerned, he says, about evidence being tampered with.

Another handy feature is how two or more nearby body-worn cameras will sync up, creating a video file that allows the viewer to watch what transpires from different angles.

Peden says they’re also handy for taking audio statements from a witness at the scene of an incident.

Body-worn cameras are worn by police in many countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Brazil.

Locally, they’ll be rolling out across several central Alberta jurisdictions in the coming months. Red Deer is set to get them in March, with Blackfalds and Innisfail in April, Rocky Mountain House in May, and Ponoka and Stettler in June.

In Lacombe, the police force there began using body-worn cameras — the same kind used by RCMP — in August 2024.

In addition, the city of Red Deer tells rdnewsNOW that city council has approved the procurement of body-worn cameras for municipal peace officers. The city is also working with Axon, and the plan is to train members around the same time the RCMP is training theirs.

The RCMP is collecting feedback from the public about the body-worn cameras, and that can be filled out here.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the rdnewsNOW newsletter here. You can also download the rdnewsNOW mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.