Body Worn Cameras

The element of video has evolved rapidly over the past few years, becoming an integral part of our society. It has also affected policing in the many different ways it is utilized; from home security systems and cell phone recordings to in-car cameras, the use of video is common and can be an important investigative tool. It also provides a new level of accountability and transparency. This has been proven with law enforcement agencies across the globe adopting body-worn cameras (BWC).

In October of 2025, the Wilton Police Service implemented the BWC program.

The audio and video recording device will document police and civilian interactions while engaged in enforcement and investigative duties. They are not intended for continuous recording.

BWC’s are openly displayed to the public and will show an illuminated LED light notifying the public when the camera is recording.

The goals of equipping front-line officers with BWC’s are to:

Provide additional evidence for investigations
Support early case resolution in legal matters and public complaints
Provide a record of police encounters with the public
Increase public trust and confidence
Increase police transparency and accountability
Provide additional training and leadership tools

Wilton Police must balance the privacy rights of individuals with the anticipated benefits of using BWC’s for law enforcement purposes. The program and policy is will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure its compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Criminal Code of Canada and provincial legislation.

Will officers notify a member of the public when they are being recorded?

Do I have the right to refuse being recorded?

Can members of the public/media access recordings?

Unlike the United States, there are significant privacy implications in Canada governing our ability to release BWC footage to the media and/or public. In the vast majority of incidents, it is expected that recordings will not be released publicly, however, members of the public can access the video by submitting a FOIP request. Members of the public cannot request the data to be deleted; recordings are stored according to the retention policies and if disclosed for court purposes, will be redacted and vetted for any privacy-related concerns or issues.

Can recordings be edited? If so, by whom?

Recordings cannot be edited, altered, or deleted from the camera by a police officer. The video management team has access and permissions to search and view BWC recordings for the purposes of preparing redacted copies for court disclosure purposes and FOIP requests. They are responsible for the removal or redaction of privileged, sensitive or clearly irrelevant content prior to the disclosure or release of a copy of a BWC recording. An unedited version of the recording will be saved and will remain accessible (until retention policies dictate its deletion).

Body Worn Cameras

Will officers notify a member of the public when they are being recorded?

Do I have the right to refuse being recorded?

Can members of the public/media access recordings?

Can recordings be edited? If so, by whom?

How long will recordings be retained?