Footage taken from a police officer's body-worn camera will be critical to the ethical standards investigation into a fatal Sunshine Coast shooting on Sunday.
Two officers opened fire on a 51-year-old man, who allegedly rushed at them with a weapon when they arrived at the scene of a disturbance at Outlook Drive in Tewantin.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers confirmed one of the officers was wearing his personal camera at the time of the fatal shooting.
The union told reporters 75 per cent of general duties police had bought their own cameras because the Queensland Police Service would not fund them across the board.
"We need it more than ever before because it will vindicate the actions of police and it will also give the public confidence," Mr Leavers said.
"Whenever an incident takes place, the police service, the ethical standards command and the coroner and the commissioner says: 'Did you have a body-worn video?'
"Well if it wasn't for the police purchasing it themselves they wouldn't have one."
The QPS funded some cameras during the G20 but have not pledged to issue them to all police on the beat.
In a statement, the QPS said camera trial results and input with other law enforcement agencies would be considered when deciding whether the devices would be used in future.
"The Service supports officers using their own body worn video in operational policing," a spokesman said.
In September, Commissioner Ian Stewart told Fairfax Radio there would be "significant costs" to implement the measure, referring both to the monetary expense and the time officers would need to spend downloading footage to computers.
While Commissioner Stewart said the cameras would not hinder police from doing their jobs, he said there were potential privacy issues if they were used by officers responding to domestic violence or sexual assault cases.
"We've still got to work out how we deal with those very sensitive issues," he said.
Mr Leavers said the Sunshine Coast officers - a first-year constable and a senior constable with 10 years' experience - had to make a "split-second" decision when confronted on Sunday.
"As the police stopped in the street, they were immediately confronted by this person and they saw some damage and a person coming at them with a weapon and it all happened so quickly," he said.
"There was no time to react. There was no time to negotiate or do anything else. They had to act immediately and I think other things which have come forward since will certainly show what may have been on [the deceased man's] mind."
Mr Leavers said one of the officers was carrying a Taser, however he stressed that using the device was not always practical.
Police were expected to continue interviews of neighbours and occupants of the Tewantin home on Monday.
The 51-year-old deceased man was from NSW and was visiting the property for a family gathering when the shooting occurred.
