Toronto police will roll out a pilot project to test the use of body-worn cameras on front-line officers this year, following up on a recommendation in a 2013 report.

Deputy chief Peter Sloly said the project, approved last week by Chief Bill Blair, will go ahead this year, though most details still need to be hashed out.

“There are a lot of different variables that are part of this,” said Sloly. “It’s not just clipping a camera onto an officer’s lapel. There’s policy issues, there’s IT issues, there’s budget issues.”

Sloly said research across the continent suggests body-worn cameras — often called lapel cameras — moderate the behaviour of both police officers and the people they interact with.

“Complaints come down as a result of it, not just because the officer’s behaviour is moderated but someone who knows that they’re on camera also is a lot more civil and co-operative with the officer,” said Sloly.

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