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\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nCalgary police have rolled out new bodycam technology that translates conversations in more than 50 languages.<\/p>\n
Built directly into the officers\u2019 body-worn cameras, the translation occurs in real time, helping officers break down language barriers across the city and allowing both parties to communicate without waiting for an interpreter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say, as soon as a language barrier exists, it would be good to activate it. The camera, this should already be on, and once you enable the translation feature, it\u2019ll automatically start the recording as well,\u201d said camera technician Rad Bouz.<\/p>\n
The service says more will be added over time to help improve accessibility during police interactions.<\/p>\n
As of June 1, more than 1,400 translation-enabled body cameras will be used by the entire Calgary Police Service, and some Calgarians say they are excited.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like the people can be heard, even though they don\u2019t know the English language. If they\u2019re able to translate the language for them, they can get their point across and understand what\u2019s happening around the community,\u201d says Felicia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be very helpful, and yes, it will actually give them a lot of confidence to talk to any cop they come across, so they don\u2019t need to be scared of them, because they can communicate in their own language,\u201d said Hafiz Abdul Basit.<\/p>\n
Police say the technology is intended for routine and initial interactions, not formal witness statements or evidence gathering. But it will help ease pressure on frontline officers during calls.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still are hearing it on the radio, where they\u2019re asking for somebody that\u2019s speaking, whether it be Mandarin, Punjabi, Arabic, or French, with this new technology that will substantially reduce that kind of call,\u201d said CPS Sgt. Deng Acuil.<\/p>\n
While they did not disclose the cost, Calgary police say they began exploring Axon Real-Time Translation in January 2026 and are now the first agency in Canada to fully deploy the system.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tA Calgary Police Service member has his hand on a body-worn camera, which translates languages on the fly, in Calgary on Monday, June 1, 2026. The service says it can translate over 50 languages, with more planned in the future. (Henna Saeed, CityNews image) <\/p>\n
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