The Windsor Police Service is expanding its use of in-car cameras and body-worn microphones for its patrol units.
The decision to expand the use of the technology follows a pilot project launched in June 2024.
The pilot project had 26 officers equipped with the devices, followed by an expansion to frontline supervisors in October 2024.
As of May 22, 2025, patrol units across the service are now equipped with this technology.
In-car cameras and body-worn microphones are designed for use in the general proximity of police vehicles.
The devices start recording automatically during vehicle stops and emergency calls for service and can also be activated manually as needed.
Police say this technology supports the safety of officers and community members, improves evidence collection, and adds an additional layer of transparency and accountability to police operations.
Director of Technology Services Matt Caplin says the devices start recording automatically during vehicle stops and emergency calls.
"Say an officer was at a stop sign, a car rolls through the stop sign, and then they engage the lights to pull over the vehicle, it's going to buffer back so they'll have video of the car going through the stop sign."
He says the devices improve accountability and help everyone involved.
"It's an unbiased, transparent recording of everything that happened during that interaction, so that benefits everybody involved in that interaction. Officers, witnesses, victims, accused, then downstream - courts, lawyers for both sides."
Caplin says it has helped improve evidence collection, transparency and safety.
"There were a lot of great examples, whether it was a suicidal person, a person in crisis, were being captured on camera was both an unbiased recording of the event, but also provided the ability to review the event - what went well, what didn't go well, and some of those videos will turn into training videos in the future."
The in-car cameras also offer Automatic License Plate Recognition technology, which scans nearby plates to alert officers of stolen vehicles and other infractions.
Officers will inform members of the public that they are being recorded at the earliest opportunity during any interaction that involves the use of in-car cameras and body-worn microphones.
Additionally, the devices feature red lights that flash visibly during the recording process.
The collection, retention, use, and disclosure of personal information obtained from these devices will comply with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.