# Open-Source Body-Camera Pilot

**Research date:** 2026-09-23

**Scope:** Each Owen Sound Police Service constable working a shift would have
their own camera, funded through the Police Services Board. The current
December 2025 organization chart shows 13 named constable seats, so 13 cameras
are the conservative procurement ceiling. That is a budgeting assumption, not
a claim that all 13 constables work the same shift. The same camera and
evidence-management design could later be considered for municipal by-law
officers, but that would use the City's by-law budget rather than the Police
Services Board budget.

## Recommendation

Use the open-source [Loom](https://github.com/jrwinget/loom) evidence system
with cameras that export ordinary local video files. Loom is released under
the MIT licence. Its server deployment uses PostgreSQL and MinIO object-lock
storage, hashes original files, keeps append-only chain-of-custody records, and
supports shared user access and verifiable evidence exports.

Loom is currently a beta project designed for civil-rights legal teams. A City
pilot should use synthetic test footage first, then a controlled operational
pilot after privacy, records, retention, access, and evidence procedures are
approved.

## Camera candidates

| Model | Local file and hardware evidence | Current price evidence | Assessment |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Transcend DrivePro Body 40** (`TS128GDPB40A`) | MP4/H.264; USB-C file transfer as an external drive; 128 GB internal storage; up to 11 hours battery; IP68; GPS and Wi-Fi. | About `$421-$500 CAD` from Canadian listings. | **Preferred pilot candidate.** Standard local export is simple to test with Loom. |
| Transcend DrivePro Body 70 (`TS64GDPB70A`) | MP4/H.264; USB transfer; 64 GB storage; up to 9 hours battery; IP68; GPS and Wi-Fi. | About `$380 CAD` in a Canadian listing, currently shown as sold out. | Lower-cost backup candidate when available. |
| Axis body-worn system with W100/W800 | Axis documents MP4 and MKV export through the W800 controller and publishes an integration example. | Vendor quotation required. | Technically integrable, but the system still uses Axis Body Worn Manager and a proprietary controller. Consider only if its evidence features justify the added vendor dependence. |

The DrivePro Body 40 manual says recorded files can be copied directly from
the camera as though it were an external hard drive. Its optional six-camera
network dock can charge cameras and upload files, but a pilot can begin with
the included USB cables and an existing secured workstation or server.

The DrivePro Body Toolbox can configure the device, but it should not be the
evidence repository. The proposed workflow is to configure the camera, set
MP4, disable loop overwriting, synchronize the clock, and import the original
files into Loom. The import workflow should record the hash, source camera,
assigned user, import time, access events, retention action, and export history.

## Procurement requirements

The camera request should require:

1. Standard MP4 or MKV export using an open codec that plays in VLC.
2. Standard USB data transfer, with no mandatory vendor cloud subscription.
3. Original-file export with associated metadata and a camera serial number.
4. A full-shift battery and storage capacity, durable outdoor construction,
   and protection against accidental deletion or overwrite before transfer.
5. A documented test showing that the complete original file and metadata can
   be imported into Loom and independently verified.

These requirements follow the National Institute of Justice guidance, which
recommends open recording formats, standard USB transfer, full-shift capacity,
tamper resistance, and export of original footage with metadata and device
events. See the [NIJ body-camera guidance](https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/research-body-worn-cameras-and-law-enforcement).

## Camera count and lean pilot cost

### Existing police budget lines

The 2026 division tally provides the current police-services operating block:

| Existing 2026 division line | Printed levy requirement |
| --- | ---: |
| Police Services Board | `$28,481` |
| Police Officers | `$8,367,496` |
| Police Civilians | `$824,100` |
| Court Security | `$283,482` |
| **Police-services operating block** | **`$9,503,559`** |

The public tally does not publish a separate body-camera sub-line. The Police
Services Board can show the pilot openly as equipment, local evidence storage,
and existing civilian records or information-technology capacity within this
existing police-services operating block.

The City also reports a separate **`$385,404` Police Station** division levy
requirement for building operations, including utilities, insurance,
maintenance, contract services, reserve contribution and internal allocation.
Including that facility line gives a broad police-related operating envelope of
about **`$9,888,963`**. The body-camera estimate is sized against the
police-services operating block; the facility line remains separately shown.

The 2026 debenture schedule separately lists an annual **`$476,347`** payment
for Police Station Renovation within General Debentures. It is debt service
rather than another operating division line. Including that named debt payment
brings the broad operating, facility and debt total to about **`$10,365,310`**.
Future police facility projects remain separate capital decisions.

For the conservative 13-camera case, thirteen DrivePro Body 40 cameras provide
a hardware baseline of about `$5,500-$6,500 CAD` at the Canadian prices found
during this review. The calculation is 13 cameras multiplied by approximately
`$421-$500 CAD` each. A constable working a shift receives a camera; the final
issued count should follow the Police Services Board's shift roster. An
additional spare can be considered after the core requirement is met.

A basic USB workflow uses the included cables. A single optional six-camera
network dock does not cover a 13-camera fleet, so the first budget should use
direct USB transfer or obtain a quotation for enough dock capacity. Docking is
an operational choice rather than part of the core camera estimate.

Storage depends on recording hours and retention. A practical pilot can use an
existing secured server or a small encrypted NAS with mirrored drives and a
separate backup. The budget should price that infrastructure from the City's
actual available capacity and chosen retention period. Loom, open-source
components, camera-manual instruction, and existing staff administration add no
software licence, training-contract, or new-position line.

The working planning allowance is therefore:

| Item | Planning amount |
| --- | ---: |
| Thirteen cameras and included mounts/cables | `$5,500-$6,500` |
| Local storage and separate backup | `$2,000-$5,000`, pending capacity review |
| Camera dock | Not included; price capacity for the final fleet if selected |
| New software licence | `$0` |
| New training contract | `$0` |
| New staff position | `$0` |
| **Core estimate before any dock or spare** | **about `$7,500-$11,500`** |

The core estimate covers one camera for each of the 13 named constable seats
and local storage with a separate backup. The final Police Services Board
request should replace the 13-seat ceiling with the confirmed simultaneous
shift count if that count is lower, while preserving one camera for every
constable on duty.

### Levy treatment

The working budget treatment is **`$0` change to the main City property-tax
levy**. The Police Services Board would absorb the pilot within its existing
police operating or capital envelope, subject to Board approval and final
procurement. This is a transparent internal allocation: the public budget would
show the body-camera equipment and storage amounts while keeping the City-wide
levy unchanged.

## Evidence and privacy controls

The City would still need a short operating policy covering when recording
starts and stops, privacy-sensitive situations, retention, access, disclosure,
redaction, complaints, and audit review. The Ontario Information and Privacy
Commissioner's [body-worn-camera guidance](https://www.ipc.on.ca/en/resources-and-decisions/guidance-use-body-worn-cameras-law-enforcement-authorities)
provides the policy framework for those decisions.

Body-camera deployment should be evaluated using recorded incidents, complaint
handling time, evidence retrieval time, privacy incidents, footage completeness,
and resident and officer feedback. The pilot should publish its cost and
results before expansion.

## Sources

- [Loom open-source evidence platform](https://github.com/jrwinget/loom)
- [Transcend DrivePro Body 40 specifications](https://www.transcend-info.com/support/product/body-camera/drivepro-body-40)
- [Transcend DrivePro Body 40 manual](https://www.transcend-info.com/Manual/DriveProBody/DPB40/EN/)
- [Canadian DrivePro Body 40 listing](https://www.pc-canada.com/item/transcend-drivepro-body-40-digital-camcorder/ts128gdpb40a)
- [Canadian DrivePro Body 70 listing](https://lobcom.ca/products/transcend-drivepro-body-70-body-camera-w-64gb-storage)
- [Axis body-worn integration documentation](https://www.axis.com/for-developers/body-worn-integration)
- [National Institute of Justice body-camera guidance](https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/research-body-worn-cameras-and-law-enforcement)
- [Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner guidance](https://www.ipc.on.ca/en/resources-and-decisions/guidance-use-body-worn-cameras-law-enforcement-authorities)
- [2026 budget division tally](2026-budget-tally-sheet.csv)
- [2026 debenture annual payments](2026-debenture-annual-payments.csv)
- [Current per-seat organization chart](../../organization-simplification/current-organization-per-seat.dot)