Calgary Police Roll Out Body Cameras With Live Translation Capability

The Calgary Police Service has launched a real-time translation feature on officers’ body-worn cameras, allowing them to communicate with people in more than 50 languages.

The feature, which makes use of artificial intelligence-enabled software, will allow officers to use push-to-talk functionality for bidirectional conversations in foreign languages, according to a June 1 news release. The capability is designed to bridge language barriers during traffic stops, routine calls, and everyday interactions with the public, the release says.

Translated conversations are recorded in real time and stored securely, police say. The new software also allows officers to switch between languages during a conversation, allowing for situations involving multiple languages.

The software would not make professional interpreters redundant, according to the release.

“[Real-time translation] is intended for routine, low-risk and initial interactions and is not a replacement for certified human interpreters. It supports communication in time-sensitive situations where waiting for an interpreter may not be practical or safe, or when there is a reasonable belief that a language barrier exists,” it reads.

The body cam begins recording automatically when the translation feature is activated, after which officers will be required to inform the individual they are speaking with that the translations are not from a certified interpreter.

Due to that limitation, the feature is not suitable for formal witness statements or evidence collection, and translated conversations are not admissible in court unless reviewed and certified by a qualified interpreter.

Calgary police officers are to receive training on the new feature, which will be continuously evaluated and improved, the release says.

The system is also subject to a privacy impact assessment in accordance with the Protection of Privacy Act.

“By breaking down language barriers, this feature helps us better serve Calgary’s diverse communities and support safer, more connected conversations across our city during calls for service,” the Calgary police wrote on X.

“We are committed to prioritizing transparency and protecting privacy as we adopt new technology.”

While the Calgary Police Service has not released statistics on interpreter usage, a federal Department of Justice survey found that 11 percent of police officers identified language barriers as a challenge for victims of crime in accessing victim services, citing shortages of interpreters and translators.

While Calgary police are using AI-powered translation through their Axon Body 4 cameras, Edmonton has taken a different approach. The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) uses the InterpretManager app, which connects officers with live professional interpreters in more than 300 languages. EPS reported that language-support requests more than doubled to 1,064 in 2024 following the app’s service-wide rollout.