A member of the Taber Police Service displays a body-worn camera. Funding has now been approved for body cams for the Lethbridge Police Service. (Photo: Taber Police Service)

By David Opinko

Funding approved for body-worn cameras for Lethbridge Police

Jul 29, 2025 | 1:42 PM

Members of the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) will soon be equipped with body cams.

At its meeting on July 29, 2025, Lethbridge City Council approved $1,469,000 in funding to support the implementation and ongoing operating costs of the cameras, including equipment, licensing, disclosure, and the Digital Evidence Management System.

City Hall will spend up to $555,000 on the initiative in 2025 and up to $914,000 in 2026. However, it is anticipated that the Alberta Government will provide annual grants of up to $205,471 for three years, which would reduce the amount of money the municipality would need to spend.

Because each camera must be assigned to a specific officer and cannot be shared, LPS estimates it will need around 130 cameras at an annual cost of $3,000 per camera, as well as funding for three full-time equivalent staff to complete disclosures.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen says the approval of funding is a necessity, but he believes that the cameras will add another level of transparency for both LPS and the public.

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“Public safety is always our top priority. As we saw with the recent drop in our Crime Severity Index score, investing in our police is one of the ways to keep trending in the right direction. Body-worn cameras have the potential to assist with the speed and accuracy of investigations,” says Hyggen.

READ MORE: Lethbridge’s Crime Severity Index score down 19%

In 2023, the Alberta Government mandated that all law enforcement agencies in the province require their police officers to wear body cams.

LPS was initially planning to introduce the cameras five years ago, but budget cuts from the city prevented that from happening at the time.

READ MORE: Lethbridge Police hope to start body cam pilot project in 2020

READ MORE: LPS budget cut will mean fewer officers on the streets: Chief

Members of LPS and the Lethbridge Police Commission spoke about body cams at the July 10 Economic & Finance Standing Policy Committee, which you can watch here starting at 3:44:07.

Other local law enforcement agencies, such as the Taber Police Service (TPS), have already equipped their officers with body-worn cameras.

TPS says the goals of the devices include enhancing transparency and trust, aiding in de-escalating police encounters, holding both police officers and the public accountable, and improving evidence collection and documentation.

READ MORE: Taber Police officers now wearing body cams

READ MORE: Alberta to mandate body cams for all police services