The Calgary Police Service (CPS) is hoping to choose a new body-worn camera supplier by the end of January, after the city terminated its contract with Safety Innovations in September 2016—citing safety concerns.
READ MORE: Calgary police body cameras face further delays
In January 2015, Safety Innovations Inc. and Safety Innovations LLC were awarded a $753,685.02 contract to supply the cameras, following a November 2012 pilot project. But police said “technical issues resulting in the compromise of officer safety” led to a recall of those cameras in February 2016 and the city determined the group couldn’t bring their hardware “up to an acceptable standard.”
CPS filed a statement of claim against the suppliers for the amount of $586,000 on Tuesday.
Watch below: Calgary police frustrated with body camera progress, but moving forward confidently
Mayor Naheed Nenshi said he supports the city’s decision to move away from the first company “when we didn’t get what we ordered” and said this case shows the system is working well.
“This is taxpayer money we’re talking about,” he said.
“We have to be very, very responsible with it and make sure our suppliers are giving us what we need and that we’re investing properly.”
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After announcing the city has posted a request for proposals (RFP) on Tuesday, CPS will ask the vendor for 250 cameras to be used by frontline officers who don’t already have in-car digital video.
“The request for 250 cameras manages current fiscal constraints with the need for a wholesome deployment providing the service with an accurate reflection of how cameras will be integrated into operations,” police said in a statement on Tuesday.
Watch below: Officers ‘supporting and encouraging’ body-worn cameras
Police said there are five key principles guiding the deployment of the cameras:
- Enhance transparency, public trust and confidence
- Collection of evidence
- Enhance officer accountability and professionalism
- Protect officers from unfounded allegations of misconduct
- De-escalate a situation
The RFP is open until Oct. 11, after which police said hands-on testing will inform evaluations and the final decision.
Family of victims in past officer-involved incidents push for body cameras
Greg Heffernan’s brother, Anthony, was shot and killed by a police officer in March 2015. Over a year ago, Heffernan told Global News he wants to see the technology rolled out as soon as possible.
It took the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province’s police watchdog, nearly a year-and-a-half to decide not to press charges against the officer involved in the case.
WATCH: Calgary Police Deputy Chief Bob Ritchie announces the CPS has issued a statement of claim against a company that had originally supplied body-worn cameras.
READ MORE: ASIRT investigation clears Calgary officer who shot and killed Anthony Heffernan
“We have no voice for my brother – he’s dead,” Heffernan said. “And if we would have had video, we could have at least seen what happened.”
But members of the public aren’t the only ones pushing for the technology.
“Our officers want them too,” Calgary Police Chief Roger Chaffin said in October 2016. “Arguably, at the end of the day, we were one of the first. By misfortune, the product didn’t work. But it’s not as simple as going to Home Depot and going to buy them.”
READ MORE: 2 Calgary police officer-involved shootings renew calls for body worn cameras
With files from Global’s Tracy Nagai and News Talk 770’s Aurelio Perri
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