Happy Valley-Goose Bay agrees to stop using body cameras
CBC
The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay has signed a court order, agreeing to stop using body cameras on its municipal enforcement officers.
According to Newfoundland and Labrador's Information and Privacy Commissioner — who also signed the consent order — the town is required to stop collecting, using and disclosing personal information obtained through the cameras.
In a news release, Harvey said to his knowledge, the town is the first public body in the province to try and use body cameras.
"Our assessment is that the town had been unable to design and implement a program that was compliant with the provisions of ATIPPA, 2015. Given that this is still very much a novel technology in this province, if the town or any other public body decides to implement such a program in the future, we fully intend to monitor it closely and take whatever steps we deem necessary to ensure the privacy interests of citizens of the province will be protected."
The town has been using the cameras on municipal enforcement and animal control officers in the community since July 2020.
At the time, the council said they hoped the cameras would protect both officers and residents.
But in a 2021 report, Privacy Commissioner Michael Harvey said the cameras had the potential to collect more information than necessary.
Harvey said he learned of the program through the media and that proper protocols, like filling out access logs, weren't being done properly by the town.
The report recommended the program be scrapped.
The town filed a court application following the report's release, seeking a declaration that the commissioner's recommendations didn't need to be followed.
Now, the town Months later, the consent order shows continuing the program would be against privacy and access to information rules, according to the release.
"If the town or any other public body decides to implement such a program in the future, we fully intend to monitor it closely and take whatever steps we deem necessary to ensure the privacy interests of citizens of the province will be protected," Harvey said in the release.
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