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2mo ago

Vancouver Launches Body-Worn Camera Pilot for Parking Enforcement Officers

Set to start in August, the six-month pilot will test BC-compliant on-body cameras to deter harassment through threat-activated recording under strict privacy protocols.

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Body-worn cameras like these ones worn by a Vancouver police officer will be worn by the city's parking enforcement officers as part of a six-month trial.
A Delta police officer demonstrates recording on a body camera during a news conference by the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police about implementing body-worn cameras for officers, in Surrey, B.C. on Thurs. Jan. 11, 2024. The City of Vancouver has announced it is launching a pilot program for its parking officers due to a rise in verbal and physical threats and assaults.

Overview

  • Vancouver parking enforcement officers faced an average of one assault every two weeks in 2024, with 13 incidents recorded in the first half of 2025, prompting the safety trial.
  • Fifteen officers will receive Axon body-worn cameras at no cost and will activate them only when they perceive a safety risk.
  • Officers must alert members of the public before filming unless doing so is unsafe or impractical, and recordings deemed noncriminal will be deleted within five days.
  • Any footage related to criminal activity will be forwarded to the Vancouver Police Department for investigation.
  • City officials will compare incident rates between participating and nonparticipating officers to evaluate the pilot and decide on a possible expansion based on precedents in Burnaby, Guelph and Saskatoon.