Training is underway for officers for the Cobourg Police Service’s new body-worn camera program.
The service says the program rollout began on June 10 after the first group of front-line officers completed their training. Training continues for other groups this week. All frontline officers and front-facing special constables will be trained by June 24, the service says.
To provide the public with more information on the body-worn camera program, the service is hosting a town hall at the police station (107 King St. West) at noon on Wednesday, June 22. Sgt. Paul Legere, who is leading the body-worn camera training, will deliver a short presentation during the town hall.
The public will be able to ask questions.
Anyone interested in attending can RSVP to Lisa Munday by emailing lisa.munday@cobourgpolice.com
The municipal police service first began looking into body-worn cameras in the summer of 2020 followed by public consultation before the police board approved the program in late 2021.
“In December 2021, the Cobourg Police Services Board approved the Officer Safety Plan, including the body-worn camera program,” said police chief Paul VandeGraaf. “Body-worn cameras are another tool that will help with investigations and build public trust as we continue to prioritize community safety in the Town of Cobourg.”
Officer Safety Plan
The service says its Officer Safety Plan is an all-encompassing program that equips officers with the latest technology and aims to reduce the time spent on administrative tasks.
The plan includes body-worn cameras and required equipment hardware and software components required to implement the program, including: training, including virtual reality empathy training for officers
- replacement taser
The service says the five-year plan is covered by Cobourg Police Service Business Centre and comes at no cost to the taxpayers.