The Chatham-Kent Police Service is looking to add more surveillance into the community by introducing body-worn cameras and more drones.
According to the CK police Service's 2021 - 2024 strategic plan, roughly 120 front-line officers could be seen wearing body-worn cameras within three years. The goal is to increase public trust, accountability and transparency in officer-related action while serving the community.
Chatham-Kent Police Chief Gary Conn said the service has always embraced new technology to assist the community.
"Anything which may enhance police legitimacy, transparency, accountability and most important public trust - ultimately increases our overall service for the organization, but also to the citizens we serve," said Conn.
The plan states the cameras will be an added expense to the current budget but the cost has not been determined.
"Initial funding [start-up costs] for these devices will be incurred through a reserve," he said. "However on-going costs including life-cycle, maintenance, etc. will have to be determined through our pilot project and then an additional budget line [will be] created into the base budget on a 'go-forward' basis."
"All of which will be presented to the police service board in a business case upon the completion of our analysis and pilot project," Conn added.
In addition to more eyes on the streets, the police service is also looking to add more unmanned aerial systems (drones) to the force. Since 2017, the service has owned a single drone but would like to add anywhere from three to four drones. According to Conn, the additional drones would not affect the service's budget.
"The costs associated to these devices have decreased with the technological advancements," he said. "We have had the drone for four years and we have life-cycled this device and technology."
In 2020, the CK police service had flown the drown more than 140 times and documented 33 incidents where the drone was used.
