Police body cameras gaining momentum in Montreal

A week after another controversial video involving Montreal police and use of force came to light, the idea of equipping officers with body cameras is gaining support among key players in the city.

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YvesFrancoeur, president of the Montreal Police Brotherhood, saidbody camera pilot projects in cities including Edmonton and Calgaryappear to have had a positive effect.

He said aggressive behaviourtoward officers droppedonce people knew they were being filmed.

The debate over whether to arm police with body camerasresurfacedafter an officer wascaught on videopunching a protestorduring an arrest.

Francoeursaid video recordings from police would providea better picture of what happened in a confrontation.

"What you're going tosee onYouTubeis from the moment of the arrest,but we never have what happened before,"Francoeurtold CBC Montreal'sDaybreakon Monday.

Mayor DenisCoderrealso said recentlyit's important to have as much information as possible when examining a police intervention.

Francoeur, however,saidthe union still has some issues with body cameras.

He saidit wants to know what will happen with the video captured by the camerasand who will be able to view it.

Julie Matson, a Montreal activist whose father was killed by Vancouver police, raised concerns about the idea.

She's worried officers could potentially turn their body cameras on and off, eliminating footage that would be embarrassing or incriminating.

"My concern is, who has access to this?" she told Daybreak.

"Is the public going to have access to this? I don't think so."