Police body-worn cameras make debut in Toronto

Toronto police are beginning a pilot project to include body-worn cameras on 100 of its officers on Monday.

The project is not without its detractors, however, as privacy and cost concerns surface from critics around the city. The police have sent out a feedback form to 20,000 households in Scarborough, where the pilot project is concentrated. The survey is also online.

The cameras were given to police who regularly interact with the public from the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) Rapid Response Teams. Those officers' cameras are activated during a call for service or other investigation.

For the cameras, software, other equipment and video storage, the pilot project has a budget of $500,000.

The body-worn cameras will be on select officers until April, 2016, and then Toronto Police Services Board will decide on the future of them in June, 2016.