Body-worn cameras have come a long way in a relatively short time. Originally rising to prominence around 2014, body-worn cameras have exploded in popularity more or less alongside the rise of the now-ubiquitous smartphone camera. In response to the sudden growth of the technology, many states have created some laws regarding police use of body-worn cameras.
According to information from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance, video and audio recordings from body-worn cameras can be used by law enforcement to document actions and other evidence and to deter unprofessional, illegal, and inappropriate behaviors by both law enforcement and the public. What’s more, studies have shown them to be effective community engagement tools, fostering transparency and accountability for all sides of the equation.1
In this spirit, body-worn cameras seemingly have become as common as the Taser. In today’s steadily simmering political environment, having objective and accurate recordings of events is of paramount importance to police and the public.
As body-worn cameras become commonplace, the emphasis is beginning to expand beyond the traditional—or even the tangible. One innovative new product affixes to an unconventional part of the officer’s uniform. Another looks to integrate the body-worn camera into the larger matrix of information that shapes the modern law enforcement environment, with the goal of not only capturing the footage—but also helping agencies utilize it more simply and effectively.
“It’s really been a lightning-fast evolution for body-worn cameras,” said Adam Schwartz, director of digital evidence management for Motorola, the Chicago-based manufacturer that has served as a pioneer in body-worn camera development. “Three, four, or five years ago, it was just about the camera. The discussion was more about different cameras and features like mounting options. There were questions over issues like whether the in-car camera could be replaced. Suddenly, there was a strong political push for deployment of body-worn cameras. It went from hardware to more about an ecosystem, a holistic solution, and how an agency can utilize the data to make more informed decisions.”2
Across the System
Motorola is attempting to move ahead of the pack again with the Si200. Released in January, the new body-worn camera features a high-resolution camera with a 12-hour battery life, integrated Wi-Fi, low-light recording, simple controls, and up to 2 minutes of pre-buffering.3
Perhaps the Si200’s true distinguishing factor, however, is its integration with CommandCentral Vault, Motorola’s digital evidence software. CommandCentral Vault allows agencies to securely manage content from all their devices, from in-field capture to judicial sharing.
“When we entered the space we started as a thought leader,” Schwartz said. “The Si500 was first, and it was market-leading. That is a great solution for a lot of agencies, but [some] agencies want more.”
After officers upload videos into CommandCentral Vault, the files are correlated with relevant information from other systems such as computer-aided dispatch and records management systems.
“Trends in public safety are toward an inundation of data,” Schwartz said. “This can drown an agency, or it can help. The body-worn camera is just one more data stream. That goes for in-car, fixed cameras, CAD data, 911 calls, sensor data, ballistics data, license plate recognition, and so forth. It’s a huge amount. CommandCentral Vault can help you to use this data.”
Studies have shown [body cameras] to be effective community engagement tools, fostering transparency and accountability.
In addition, the system helps users simplify the process of tagging video, automating redaction, correlating video with incident information in police records, and maintaining chain of custody when managing evidence.
Even as body-worn cameras gain a place in the complex, wider picture of evidence management, Motorola has also worked to make them easier to navigate for the end user.
“It’s a simplified user experience that enables the rest of our vision of consolidated digital evidence,” Schwartz said. “It’s designed to be an intelligent and simple device. There is an on-board GPS.”
With automated activation and other features in addition to its new place in a more comprehensive workflow—ultimately creating a secure pathway all the way to the judge’s bench—the Si200 represents one of the next steps in the evolution of body-worn cameras.
“The things that are really important at this point are that agencies are now looking for this to be an ecosystem,” Schwartz said. “It’s more than just an officer putting it on, letting it go, and later identifying what’s happening in that video. The offload is very quick for us, and it leads to that ecosystem.”
The Weapon-Mounted Camera
Another new camera on the scene might not be a body-worn camera in the strictest sense of the word. Its developers have suggested it works best as a supplement, rather than a replacement, for the more typical body-worn camera.
Still, the FACT Duty Weapon-Mounted Camera is an innovative addition to the marketplace. Created by Maple Plain, Minnesota-based Viridian Weapon Technology, the FACT is designed solely for use as a device mounted to an officer’s service weapon.
“We’re doing something unique,” said Brian Hedeen, Viridian’s president and CEO. “Orders for body-worn cameras and dash cameras have been growing. But weapon-mounted cameras are the only thing specially designed for officer-involved shootings. We fill a unique void to capture the most crucial moments.”4
The FACT has instant camera activation, causing the camera to automatically turn on when the weapon is drawn. The camera also includes a micro USB port and indicator lights for onboard charging, an integrated microphone, and an adjustable 500-lumen tactical light.
It is always a critical incident when officers draw, not to mention fire, their service weapons. According to Hedeen, the FACT automatically turns on and records those incidents from a vantage point immediately below the firearm’s muzzle. This provides an unparalleled perspective on some of the most sensitive and high-profile police actions.
“Body-worn cameras are great products, and they serve a need, but the body-worn device needs to be placed on the body or the collar or the glasses,” Hedeen said. “They are prone to be blocked or bumped off their mount. The placement of our camera is what’s notable. The situational awareness is like being there. It has worked well in pursuits and other times when guns came out. This was the footage that provided the best detail of what happened.”
Hedeen put forth the hypothesis that public reaction to some of the most high-profile officer-involved shooting incidents of recent years may have been different had the FACT been available to capture the moments. This is true not only because of the nature of the incident but because of the unique perspective such a camera can provide.
“If this had been around in previous instances, it would have changed history,” Hedeen said. “The key is it’s an unobstructed view. The quality of the content is always pointing toward the thing the officer is focused on.”
The camera can be mounted on any duty weapon with a rail and includes a tactical light. Weapons equipped with the camera can still fit in a standard holster. The camera also is “foolproof” to operate and includes on-board data storage, Hedeen said.
The FACT also has a hidden advantage over traditional body-worn cameras: cost. The device saves battery life and requires less data storage given its typically small usage rate. The hardware itself can also be less expensive. According to Viridian, the average body-worn camera costs about $800, while the FACT hardware costs $525.
“Because it’s recording less, it doesn’t produce a lot of data, so it’s less expensive to own and operate,” Hedeen said. d
Notes:
1 Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, “Body-Worn Camera Toolkit.”
2 Adam Schwartz (Director, Digital Evidence Management, Motorola), telephone interview, January 31, 2019.
3 Motorola Solultions, “Si200 Police Body-Worn Video Camera.”
4 Brian Hedeen (President and CEO, Viridian), telephone interview, January 29, 2019.
Please cite as
Scott Harris, “A Richer Ecosystem: Two New Body-Worn Cameras Connect in New Places,” Product Feature, Police Chief 86, no. 3 (2019): 54–56.
