Hamilton police vague about changes to drone program after recommendations from privacy commissioner
Changes to program come months after concerns from researchers and former privacy commissioner
Hamilton police say they have made changes to their drone program after receiving recommendations from the office of Ontario's privacy commissioner (IPC) — but it's unclear exactly what those changes are.
The IPC told CBC Hamilton it contacted HPS about "critical privacy, transparency, and accountability issues" related to police drones.
The commissioner's office also said it made "key recommendations" to the HPS privacy impact assessment on the drone program "which we believe are necessary to further reduce privacy risks associated with the program."
A privacy impact assessment is a document outlining a voluntary process that looks at how the technology may impact people's privacy and is in compliance with privacy laws.
IPC said it is up to the police service to share more about the recommendations and any changes.
The police service hasn't offered many details.
'Nuanced' changes
During a June 22 police board meeting, Chief Frank Bergen said changes were made to the drone program's privacy impact assessment but didn't specify what changes.
"[The IPC] advised us our current privacy impact assessment is a solid document and we are confident that our program is in compliance with all of the applicable legislation," Bergen said during the meeting.
"The IPC might direct other police services planning to write [an assessment] to refer to our example."
He also didn't specify any changes during a scrum after the meeting, only saying there were "nuanced" changes.
After the scrum, spokesperson Jackie Penman told CBC the service "strengthened" the wording in the drone program's privacy impact assessment and added in some sections, like one stating the service will not arm drones with weapons.
CBC sent HPS an email asking for more details but has not yet received a response.
The IPC didn't confirm or deny what Bergen said but noted the meeting with HPS "does not constitute a formal engagement or endorsement" of a privacy impact assessment ahead of launching new programs or technologies.
It also said it "continues to follow this matter closely."
WATCH | Police across Canada use drones. Here's why that's raising privacy concerns:
A CBC Hamilton investigation published in April first revealed details about when, how and why police use drones.
It prompted the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, community groups and privacy researchers to point out "red flags" in the program, including a lack of transparency and gaps in its privacy impact assessment.
Ontario's former privacy commissioner also criticized the program and said if she was still in charge, she'd launch a province-wide investigation and ask the police service to halt its program.
It led the police services board to request a report from HPS in May.
The report and discussion at the board meeting did little to address calls for public consultation and some questions about drone use.
Police officials said the service needed more drones because it's been borrowing drones from the local fire department and Mohawk College.
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