Toronto police to start wearing body cameras as early as this summer

Toronto Mayor John Tory said that some police officers could start wearing body cameras as early as this summer.

Tory said that the implementation of the body-worn cameras would likely be discussed at next month's Toronto Police Services Board meeting, according to CP24.

And pending approval, some officers may start wearing cameras this summer.

"I think there is a real ambition on the part of the chief and the police services board, subject to this discussion in July, to get them on to lapels as it were in late summer," Tory said, adding that it would be contingent upon how quickly the cameras could be purchased.

Tory had said previously that the Toronto Police Service would likely not begin wearing cameras until the fall.

"We've been going through the acquisition or the purpose process," he said. "It may not be that it will happen... all at once."

The mayor's comments came shortly after peaceful demonstrations around the city over the weekend had advocated for an end to anti-Black racism.

The demonstrations were sparked by the unjust death of George Floyd, who had a knee to his neck for almost 9 minutes before suffocating.

The mayor said on Sunday that the protests had motivated the city to "work harder" in an effort to eliminate systemic racism in Toronto.

“We are going to set the standard in Toronto for making sure that racism becomes a thing of the past and that's a big challenge. But I think it is one we can take on and I think our values suggest we need to take it on even more aggressively and energetically than we have," Tory said.