Queensland Police Service Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Whelan confirmed on Friday that specialist officers who fatally shot Aubrey Donahue were not wearing body-worn cameras.
Speaking at a press conference in Brisbane, Mr Wheelan said it was routine for specialist officers not to wear the cameras, a process which would now be reviewed.
"Specialist officers for practicality reasons generally don't (wear cameras)," he said.
"When we have a serious incident those matters do get reviewed and we're now reviewing the arrangements for specialist police in terms of body-worn cameras."
Mr Wheeler confirmed other officers that attended the scene were wearing body-worn cameras, that the footage had been secured and there was "no doubt" it would form part of the coronial inquest into the death of the 27-year-old Indigenous man.
The confirmation followed a hundreds-strong protest in Mareeba on Monday, where community members demanded answers from police following the four-hour siege that lead to Mr Donahue's death.
During the siege, police alleged Mr Donahue lunged at specialist officers with a knife, a claim denied by Mr Donahue's family who say he was unarmed.
Police said although CPR and first aid was delivered, Mr Donahue died at the scene from his injuries.
In a statement, a Queensland Police Service spokesperson said prior to mid-last year, body-worn cameras were considered unsuitable for the Service's Special Emergency Response Teams.
"This was primarily due to the size of the device, audible noises, and visible light, and their positioning on complex tactical operator equipment or when required to be covert," Queensland Police said in the statement.
However due to upgraded technology trials were "now in the latter stages of implementation of both body-worn and vehicle-mounted camera systems" for the specialist tactical police.
The incident leading to Aubrey Donahue's death will be investigated by the Ethical Standards Command on behalf of the state coroner, in addition to Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission.
