Body Worn Cameras
On February 28, 2023, The County of Brant adopted a policy on the use of body worn cameras for Municipal Law Enforcement Officers. Officers in the County of Brant are now equipped with body-worn cameras when on duty in an effort to increase transparency and accountability, enhance the public trust and promote Officer and public safety.
Footage from the cameras will be used to:
- Maintain transparency and trust with the community, colleagues and partner agencies, enhance accountability, provide accurate evidence for legal investigations, provide valuable insight that can legitimize Officer/Public interactions and provide resources for training purposes.
- The policy is designed to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for anyone whose image is captured. The footage captured during interactions provides a clear, unbiased and independent account of Officer/Community interactions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When will body-worn cameras be used? |
| Body-worn cameras are capable of both audio and video recording and are used to record interactions between Municipal Law Enforcement Officers and members of the public during investigative and enforcement activities. Officers will turn on their body-worn cameras when arriving at a call for service or when initiating an investigative contact and will turn off their body-worn cameras when the call for service or investigation is complete. In certain situations, body-worn cameras may be temporarily stopped (e.g. to avoid recording circumstances of a sensitive nature such as medical treatment) or turned off if the officer is no longer engaged in enforcement activities or interacting with members of the public. Body-worn cameras are intended to record specific incidents and are not used for general surveillance. |
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How will I know if a body-worn camera is recording? |
| Officers will wear their body-worn cameras in plain view and the camera has red lights indicating when it has been activated. Officers will be required, when possible, to advise individuals that they are speaking with at the earliest opportunity that their body-worn cameras system is recording. The timing of this notice may vary depending on the context of the encounter. |
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What if I request the Officer turn off the camera during my interaction? |
| As a general rule, the camera will be recording during a call for service as defined in the policy. An Officer may turn off the camera after being given permission and prior to entering a private dwelling and the person granting permission has requested the camera be turned off. |
| What if I am a bystander and a body-worn camera records me? |
| Officers will make every reasonable effort to capture only the relevant incident for which the body-worn cameras are in operation. Specific redaction tools are applied to blur out parts of the video and/or mute audio, if required, which could compromise personal information and the privacy of members and the public. |
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How long are recordings kept? |
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Recordings are kept in accordance with the retention periods set out in the Body-Worn Camera Policy. Generally, evidentiary recordings are retained for a minimum of two (2) years plus one (1) day. Non-evidentiary recordings are retained for a minimum of sixty (60) days. |
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Who will be able to access the body-worn video data? |
| Strict controls have been developed to govern who has access to the video footage. The recording officer will have access to their own video data, along with a limited number of supervisory staff (for auditing purposes). Anyone else who is required to view the video will submit a formal request for access. This process comes with a robust auditing and tracking system. |
| Who is permitted to edit the body-worn camera data? |
| No-one is permitted to alter the original data file and any access to the original file is securely logged for auditing purposes. However, in order to be compliant with various pieces of privacy legislation, it is necessary to create a secondary, vetted version such as for release under a Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act request. Specially trained body-worn cameras program staff will create this vetted, secondary file ensuring only the appropriate information is released under the proper circumstances to the proper entity or person. The original, unedited version will always be protected and available. |
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How do I request access to a recording? |
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Requests to view or receive a copy of a body-worn camera recording will be processed in accordance with the Policy and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If you would like to request access to a body-worn camera recording, please contact:
If you have submitted a request that was denied in whole or in part and you wish to file a formal appeal please review the Information and Privacy Commissioner guidelines and instructions https://www.ipc.on.ca/resources/forms/file-an-appeal/
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Questions or complaints
For more information about the use and operation of Body Worn Cameras, review the Body Worn Camera Policy (PDF)
If you have questions or concerns about the use or lack of use of body-worn cameras, please contact:
Greg Bergeron
Director of Enforcement and Regulatory Service
T. 519.44BRANT (519.442.7268) x 2295
Email Greg