RCMP to implement body cameras and new sidearms

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the Columbia-Shuswap region will begin deploying body-worn cameras next month. Training for officers at the Salmon Arm detachment is scheduled to start soon, with equipment expected to arrive by the end of November. Other detachments, including Golden, Revelstoke, Sicamous, and Chase, are also expected to go live with the new technology.

The RCMP stated that the cameras are intended to increase community trust by providing independent and objective video evidence of interactions. Under current policy, officers must continue recording until they determine that safety is no longer a concern or the recording no longer serves an investigative purpose. While citizens may request that recording stop, officers will only comply according to specific safety and policy guidelines.

In addition to the cameras, local detachments are receiving new Glock 45 sidearms. This rollout is part of a $39 million contract awarded to Rampart Corp. in April 2026 to replace the Smith & Wesson 5946, which has been the standard issue since the 1990s.