Body-worn cameras offer live translation for Calgary Police officers
Posted Jun 2, 2026 7:32 am.
Calgary police have rolled out new bodycam technology that translates conversations in more than 50 languages.
Built directly into the officers’ 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.
“I 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’ll automatically start the recording as well,” said camera technician Rad Bouz.
The service says more will be added over time to help improve accessibility during police interactions.
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.
“I feel like the people can be heard, even though they don’t know the English language. If they’re able to translate the language for them, they can get their point across and understand what’s happening around the community,” says Felicia.
“It 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’t need to be scared of them, because they can communicate in their own language,” said Hafiz Abdul Basit.
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.
“We still are hearing it on the radio, where they’re asking for somebody that’s speaking, whether it be Mandarin, Punjabi, Arabic, or French, with this new technology that will substantially reduce that kind of call,” said CPS Sgt. Deng Acuil.
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.
