Ottawa Fools On OPP TV Shows

By July, the Ottawa OPP detachment will have cameras installed in eight of its 12 cruisers, as part of a pilot project that has also been rolled out in the Toronto and Kenora areas.

The Ottawa detachment was chosen as a test site because of a high number of traffic calls. The detachment is responsible for policing the provincial highways that pass through the city, and has 45 constables who work out of an office on Teron Rd. in Kanata near the Queensway.

With the new technology, Ottawa OPP Staff Sgt. Tim Pierce expects his officers will be able to capture evidence that could bolster their cases in court. The video will also help uncover details when citizens lodge complaints about an officer, Pierce said.

Each camera unit is worth $15,000. The camera is mounted beside the rear-view mirror and can capture images in front of the cruiser and in the backseat.

Officers will also wear wireless microphones to record conversations.

All the data is recorded onto a DVD stored in the cruiser's trunk. The information can then be downloaded onto a hard drive at the detachment.

The pilot program, halfway through its three-year course, was sparked after police services came under fire for alleged racial-profiling practices.