BARRIE, ONT. -- Police officers in Barrie will start wearing body cameras this fall.
The pilot project will see body-worn cameras issued to several front-line, uniformed officers this September.
While the political climate and protests across the world are calling for more police transparency, Barrie police have been working on this since 2016.
Chief Kimberley Greenwood recommended the project move forward.
"We have been working on this initiative for a number of years, and it's very timely that we are ready to launch the pilot project as body-worn cameras have recently been discussed by a number of services," Greenwood said in a statement on Thursday.
The cameras will be turned on during each call and automatically start to roll when a firearm or taser is drawn, when sirens go off, or if there are loud noises like gunshots.
The cameras are put on a docking station at the end of each shift, and the footage is automatically transferred.
The pilot program is set to launch in September, and will run anywhere from three to six months.
The Barrie Police Service will then make a recommendation to the police board about how to move forward with the program.
