The Ottawa Police Service is expanding its body-worn camera program, adding roughly 200 cameras for frontline and specialized officers by the end of the year.
The expansion builds on an initial pilot of 30 cameras introduced last November, assigned mostly to members of the service’s Crisis Intervention Team.
Generally in favour. Having said that all the content made from publicly requested bodycam videos on YouTube makes me suuuper uncomfortable.
Now, is that the camera’s fault or the camera wearer?
I’d say it’s the fault of the person making that public request for videos and then deciding the post it on YouTube. But what do I know?
I would lay much of the blame on that footage being permitted to be used for any use other than the narrow purpose that it was initially created for.
And I’ll tell you the same thing I told someone else.
If I may rephrase my statement.
It should not be legal to release that footage outside of usage in a court proceeding directly related to the events that caused the officer to attend with their bodycam.
I think the constitution might have something to say about that, but I’m by no means an expert. If that bodycam footage involves me, for example, you’re damn right I want my hands on it. And if that bodycam footage involves me being railroaded by a cop, you’re damn right it’s going on YouTube.
If only google cared about the law
Do you think Google is the one requesting and posting these videos on YouTube?
Also: Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is nothing illegal about making public what you retrieved from a public info request under, for example, ATIP. If that’s how folks are accessing these videos, then their posting them to YouTube is protected. We can argue it shouldn’t be and you’ll get no argument from me, but it is.
