Iqaluit’s mayor calls for RCMP to use body cameras
“It is about the safety of everyone involved”
On Tuesday, June 2, Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell announced that he would be bringing the issue of RCMP body cameras to both the next Iqaluit city council meeting and the next Nunavut Association of Municipalities executive board meeting. (File photo)
Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell announced today that he supports the call for Nunavut RCMP to wear body cameras, and he plans to raise the issue at the next city council meeting.
Bell now joins a growing list of public officials from across Nunavut, including Pond Inlet MLA David Qamaniq, Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson and MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, in calling for the police body cameras.
“It is about the safety of everyone involved,” said Bell in a news release.
“With this addition to the uniform, we will help protect the service members and citizens at the same time.”
The police in Nunavik have been running a body camera pilot project since January, which has been deemed successful so far.
Bell also stated that as president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities he will be seeking a resolution on the topic at their next executive board meeting in a few weeks.
When asked whether this was related to the RCMP incident in Kinngait earlier in the day, Bell indicated the release was prepared last week.
The next Iqaluit city council meeting is on June 9.
Good call Kenny
Im , it will become mantitory in the next 5 yrs
Bring on the body cams. There’s alway two side of the story. Only thing people focus on is how the bad cops are. People get crazy and start resisting, especially when intoxicated. Come on inuuqatik drink responsibly and know your limits. Liquor makes people do stupid and reckless stuff. And people have to realize that.
Must suck , being a cop these days , with everybody recording your every move.
That is as it should be.
“These days” have nothing to do with it. For at least a decade new trainees have been told to operate as if everything that they do is being recorded. Good advice that many seem to forget.
I just wish that more people would turn on their recorders when talking with our police services.
I’m sure the RCMP officers who are often treated so poorly would love body cameras also, but is Mr Bell willing to put up the millions required to fund this project? The city can barely fix the pot hole roads and infrastructure as is, where will they get the millions required for body cams and data storage??
Drunks are idiots, but they are too often abused. If not by the police, then by others. Those that live in the ‘hood know brutality, but they don’t all have cellphones or the internet. Physical abuse has become common place among too many.
It’s easy enough to say ‘don’t drink’ but for some it’s a daily reality. There are countless stories of police abuse, but the abused don’t have access to the latest trending website.
Unfortunately, it’s been proven that body cams are not effective. It will also require logistical technicians to implement and maintain the cameras and server space (you can’t just buy them on Amazon and hook them up) meaning more budget allocated towards a function that doesn’t improve anything.
If I were the RCMP Chief and I was forced to implement this, I’d say sure and then release a bunch of footage of officers being abused during every day during routine stops.
Who will fund the cameras?
Body cams are a must today in the north,to protect both partys,now once the RCMP start using them regularly,and hope someone out there does live shows,of it,we will really see Nunavut at its best on a new aptn show.