Town council in Renfrew, Ont., is considering giving their only bylaw officer a body camera to improve the employee's safety and promote accountability.

Renfrew's emergency services committee will be voting on a body camera policy on Tuesday.&nbsp;

According to a document submitted to the committee in preparation for the vote, bylaw officers deal with issues such as parking violations, animal control and noise complaints.

"However, the nature of their duties often puts them in potentially contentious or confrontational situations, where their actions may be subject to scrutiny or debate," the document reads.

N.W.T. bylaw officer starts wearing lapel camera

After catching a violent RCMP arrest on film last month, John Louison says he's begun wearing a body camera at work to increase transparency and stay safe.

The USB-sized camera clips onto his jacket.

Lapel camera

John Louison, a bylaw officer in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., has begun recording his daily work using a camera pinned to his jacket. 'In case something goes wrong with an individual, or a matter, and the public is wondering why things go the way they did,' he says. 

John Louison

Reeve Peter Emon, who chairs the town's&nbsp;human resources committee, said part of the mandate is to ensure employees are safe.

Furthermore, Emon said the town wants fair, effective and equitable bylaw services that also respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

"[The body camera policy] allows us to have comfort that we're doing that," Emon said. "And if we're not, then we have to provide appropriate training."

Peter Emon, Renfrew County warden, February 4, 2023

Several police forces in Ontario, including Toronto, Peel Region and Waterloo&nbsp;either run&nbsp;or have run pilot projects with body cameras.

However, Emon said very few municipalities have equipped their bylaw officers with the technology. He referenced Guelph, Ont., which approved a permanent policy last year after running its own&nbsp;pilot project.

While there will only be one local bylaw officer with a body camera, Emon said the town would look into adding another officer&nbsp;if the workload demanded it.

Body cameras coming for municipal officers in Happy Valley-Goose Bay

The town says municipal enforcement officers will be outfitted with cameras to record interactions with the public starting next week.

Washington DC Metropolitan Police Officer Debra Domino wears one of the new body-worn cameras that the city's officers will begin using during a press conference announcing the details of the program September 24, 2014.

291 img body cam

Municipal enforcement officers in Happy Valley-Goose Bay will start wearing body cameras, like the one pictured here on a U.S. police officer, on Wednesday.

Iqaluit bylaw officers have been wearing body cameras for years

This week Iqaluit city council moved a motion to encourage the territory's RCMP to start wearing body cameras.  Their own bylaw officers have been wearing the cameras for years. 

The city’s Chief Enforcement Office, Rod Mugford.

Rod Mugford 

The city’s chief enforcement officer, Rod Mugford, said Iqaluit bylaw officers have been employing body cameras for years.

"They're often out alone dealing with the public, and 99 times out of a hundred, [there's no] issue. But we should prepare for that one time," Emon said.

If council approves the&nbsp;body camera policy, Emon said he thinks the program should be reviewed within a year.

He also said the program could be expanded to other positions like fire marshals and building code officials.

A photo of a Toronto police officer wearing a body camera. Renfrew, Ont. is considering giving its only bylaw officer a body camera to promote accountability and improve the officer's safety.

Renfrew considering giving lone bylaw officer a body camera

Bylaw officer cameras rare

More Stories Like This