Body cameras should be worn by Winnipeg police officers, advocates urge
CBC
WARNING: This story details violent events surrounding a fatal police shooting.
Questions surrounding the death of a man at the hands of Winnipeg police are reigniting discussions around the need for officers to have body cameras.
Police shot and killed a man who they say was holding an edged weapon outside of a bus shelter in a Unicity shopping area after 5 p.m. Sunday. The victim had stabbed an officer in the throat before he was shot several times by police, who repeatedly demanded the weapon be dropped, according to police news releases and a press conference held after the incident.
The man was taken to the Health Sciences Centre but later died. The officer was also taken to hospital in stable condition and he has since been released. Police wouldn't say whether the officer stabbed was involved in the shooting.
Video posted on social media doesn't capture the whole incident, which acting chief Art Stannard stressed at a press conference on Sunday evening.
"We are aware of videos online and we caution the public that they do not show the entire incident," Stannard said.
Former Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak grand chief Sheila North was among those who saw videos documenting the shooting.
WATCH | Raw video of Winnipeg police fatally shooting man near Unicity Shopping Centre:
North believes Winnipeg police should follow in the footsteps of Manitoba RCMP, which announced Wednesday that 44 provincial detachments will receive body cameras. Mounties in Steinbach, Man., started using them Friday.
North thinks they're long overdue and they would provide comfort for community to know that there is an added layer of accountability from police.
"A body-worn camera would help tell the bigger picture of what happened," North said. "I know it's not a silver bullet and it's not going to prevent tragedies necessarily, but it'll start to give a bigger picture of what happened."
She also believes the Winnipeg Police Board has a responsibility in the wake of the incident, and needs to ask why it hasn't yet followed other Canadian municipalities in mandating body cams for officers.
"Cost is one thing, but I think it's something that they need to look at and they can't be mute on this topic," North said, adding that the next police chief should advocate for the implementation of body cams.
Coun. Markus Chambers (St Norbert – Seine River) chairs the police board.
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