11-07-2025
Lethbridge Police Service asking city council for more funding to buy, use body-worn cameras
The Lethbridge economic and finance standing policy committee approved a request for funding that will provide body-worn cameras by police officers.
It's a step closer in the process to get body-worn cameras purchased and implemented for police officers in Lethbridge.
Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh went before the city's economic and finance standing policy committee (SPC) Thursday, asking for $550,000 this year to purchase cameras and $914,000 next year to use them.
If approved by council, funding will come from the city's municipal revenue stabilization reserve (MRSR).
The SPC passed the recommendation, which will now go to a future city council meeting to be fully approved. At this time, no funding has been authorized.
Lethbridge City Council, July 10, 2025
A Lethbridge municipal sub committee voted Wednesday to fund the use of body-worn cameras on Lethbridge police officers.
(Photo: Karsen Marczuk, CTV Lethbridge)
'Use of technology is becoming more and more critical in our service delivery and insuring transparency and what we do every day,' said Mehdizadeh. 'Certainly, this is welcome news.'
Mandatory
In March 2023, the province announced that body-worn cameras would become mandatory for all police officers in Alberta by the end of next year.
'It's not just about the complaints against the officers, really, that's one element of what these cameras bring,' explained Mehdizadeh.
'But we know best evidence is what you capture on video, audio and all those other components that this technology will bring, which really heightens the way our officers investigate.'
The cost of a camera is $490, DEMS licence is $1,540 and disclosure is $3,530 for a total cost of $5,560 annually.
The SPC heard that 165 cameras would be needed for frontline officers.
Mehdizadeh said the funding will also cover licencing and disclosure.
To use the cameras after 2026, Mehdizadeh is asking that the additional funding be included in the city's 2027 and 2028-31 operating budget.
If city council approves the recommendation, the city will have costs of about $725,000 annually for three years and nearly $1 million a year after the grant expires.
A funding grant is available, but the city would cover 78 per cent of costs, while the province covers 22 per cent or $205,471 per year for three years.
'We would have wanted the province to contribute more financially and that doesn't mean they won't in the future,' said Noella Piquette, chair of the Lethbridge Police Commission.
'For right now, the sum that they provided we know, and they know, and the police service knows that it's not enough to support this, but we will find a way.'
'This is provincially mandated, and we will meet the request.'
