GoPro Inc's founder and CEO Nick Woodman holds a GoPro camera in his mouth
GoPro Inc's founder and CEO Nick Woodman holds a GoPro camera in his mouth as he celebrates GoPro Inc's IPO at the Nasdaq Market Site in New York City, June 26, 2014. Wearable sports camera maker GoPro Inc's GPRO.O initial public offering was priced at $24 per share, an underwriter said, valuing the company at up to $2.96 billion. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Canadian police officers in Vancouver are going to wear body cameras for the first time in history. The body cameras will be used while dismantling a Downtown Eastside tent city.

The tents as well as the campers were instructed by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge to be cleared from Oppenheimer Park. The dismantling must be done before 10pm on Wednesday. The city earlier asked for an order in September so that the camp could be cleared. The Globe and Mail reported that Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu had asked campers to abide by the court orders. However, he said that they could be arrested if the city staff were assaulted or interfered with.

Chu also said that officers would use eight body cameras that the department had purchased. He, on the other hand, clarified that the body cameras would not be used full-time by regular patrol officers. The department is waiting to find out the effectiveness of such cameras, he said. Chu, nevertheless, said that body cameras would regularly be used at special events. Vancouver police had so far used pole-mounted cameras and handheld video cameras.

The Province reported that Vancouver officers felt that body cameras would allow them to have evidence if they were trained on by other videos of the clean-up. Chu, who earlier introduced the cameras at a press conference, said that the objective was to "have a peaceful resolution." Chu said that those cameras might discourage people from reacting violently against the officers as they would know that their actions were recorded.

The tent camp was organised by activists as a protest against homelessness. In addition, those who were against dirty conditions of the shelters they could access also became a part of the tent camp. There are also those who do not have any other place to live in the city. It was started by around a dozen people in July. However, hundreds of people live in about 200 tents at the park now.

The body cameras are common among those who play adventure sports. They often use those cameras to record their involvement in extreme sporting activities.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au