Sault Ste. Marie Police Service cruisers are now even more equipped.
New in-car camera systems have been installed and includes an interior-facing camera that will record occupants in the back seat of patrol vehicles and a front-facing dash camera.
The cameras will record interactions between officers and the public.
“Trust and accountability are cornerstones of effective policing,” said Hugh Stevenson, Chief of Police, in a release. “The implementation of in-car camera systems will ensure unbiased documentation of police interactions, enhancing the safety of both our officers and community members.”
While most officers have been trained on the new system, those who haven't been trained will be in the coming weeks and officers will not have access to the camera system until they complete the necessary training.
As part of the implementation of the new system, officers will tell community members that the system is active and that the interaction is being recorded.
The in-car camera system is part of the service's Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) Unit. Members of the unit are responsible for managing and redacting digital evidence to support investigations and prepare evidence for court proceedings.
The next phase of the service's technological advancement will be implementing body-worn cameras and will be done so after all members of the force have completed their in-car camera system training.