As police oversight continues to evolve in local communities, officers in St. Thomas will soon be equipped with new technology to enhance not only public safety, but officer safety as well.
The St. Thomas Police Services Board announced on Wednesday that its members have agreed to move forward with a pilot project to equip St. Thomas police officers with body cameras as a part of their daily uniform.
“Body-worn cameras will undoubtedly assist with improving the high-quality public service expected of police officers and enhance police accountability while at the same time increasing public trust. We have come so far in developing and strengthening relationships with our community, and in my opinion, body-worn cameras will only boost our ability to improve the overall well-being of St. Thomas," said Chief Chris Herridge in a news release.
While many details have yet to be determined, the board has announced a partnership with Axon, the global leader in connected public safety technologies, to supply the body cams. Axon currently supplies Tasers to front line officers in St. Thomas.
The police board is still working to finalize how many cameras will be required, how much digital storage will be required and how video files will be managed. The cost of the project, which is expected to begin in the near future, has yet to be estimated.
