Motorola Solutions which provides devices for the security and law enforcement industries is partnering with Vievu to add body worn cameras to their product offerings. Vievu wearable cameras enable officers to capture video and audio evidence directly at the point of engagement. The cameras are waterproof and attach securely to uniforms.
According to a study sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 93% of police-misconduct cases in which video is available result in the officer’s exoneration; 50% of complaints are immediately withdrawn when video evidence is used; while 94% of citizens support the use of video.
Vievu offers a video storage service called VERIPATROL which secures and authenticates video for use in the courtroom. Officers cannot access much less edit the video; only department-assigned software administrators can do that. Additional security prevents unauthorized access if the camera is lost or stolen. Layers of authentication ensure a recorded chain of custody that can be presented in court.
The cameras are about the size of a pager and can be worn on a lapel or clipped to an officers belt, providing a complete record of the officers perspective during an interaction with the public. According to the study, an accurate video record of officer interactions can be more valuable to a case than “eye-witness” accounts. Video can also cut down on lawsuits against police and improve officer safety.
Police officers in Harlan, Kentucky recently started wearing cameras for their entire shift. “The public knows we’re not hiding anything; we’re not covering anything up,” Police Chief Mike Thomas told local news channel WYMT-TV.
