Meadow Lake bylaw officer to strap on body camera

A bylaw officer in Meadow Lake may be the first in Saskatchewan to sport a body camera.

On Monday city councilors approved the purchase and use of the thumb sized camera for the officer.

The camera will be used to provide safety for members of the public and the officer using it, the city said.

“We record interactions with the public and we let them know they are being recorded; that was an important part of the camera we purchased. It has a forward facing screen so people can actually see themselves on the camera at all times while it’s being recorded,” said bylaw officer Joe Hallahan.

“It’s basically an attention reduction device. The theory is people will act more appropriately because they know they are being recorded.”

Hallahan sees the camera primarily used surrounding the impoundment of animals.

“‘A lot of people say ‘you have taken the dog from my yard.’ The camera can help dispel those accusations because we can clearly see the dog was on the street or in this area,’” he said.

The camera will arrive early next month. City said they will review how its working every six months before deciding whether to keep it permanently.

Meadow Lake is not the first community to introduce body cameras for bylaw officers. In May, a bylaw officer in Fort Good Hope, Northwest Territories began wearing the thumb sized cameras.