During a recent DUI stop, Walls Police Chief Gary Boisseau gotvital help from his "second set of eyes." Wearable video saw thingsin the suspect's car that even the chief's experienced visual scanmissed at first, and helped nail the case.
With the technology, officers in the tiny town in northwestDeSoto County have made a big leap in enforcing the law and invokingefficiency, says Boisseau.
"It's a silent witness, and it's been invaluable," he said.
If someone who saw something or is a suspect "later backs off andsays they didn't say something, well, this gets it all," he said."Video doesn't lie, so they can't deny what they said or did oncamera."
The devices, about the size of a disposable lighter , have beenundergoing tests by the chief and his four part-time officers for acouple of months. Last week, after ordering more - at a mere $10each, he said - the chief officially issued them.
They join the dashboard-mounted cameras already in use by theforce. But an officer can't take a dash cam into a house orcluttered alley, and its microphone has a limited range.
The wearable cams, attached by an alligator clip to a shirt orjacket, go where the officer goes and see and hear everything - andeveryone - the officer encounters. Innocuously, too.
"You have to really look to notice it," said Boisseau.
The chief of Walls (population 1,162 in the 2010 Census) takesnote of the fact that for once his force appears to be leading theposse in DeSoto County.
"We have dashboard cameras and cameras in the jail, but myofficers don't have these (wearable cams)," said Sheriff Bill Rasco."And I'm not aware of any other department that has them."
In other areas, such devices have been gaining results and lawenforcers' endorsements as an aid to documentation and prosecution.
Chief David L. Hall of the Croswell (Mich.) Police Department isquoted on the website of VIEVU , which makes the cameras, as sayingthe firm's camera came through during a recent homicide probe. "Thevideo statements taken of several witnesses were very powerful" andprovided the prosecutor with a strong case, said Hall.
Boisseau, who like other officers has seen "cop toys" come andgo, thinks these won't end up in the drawer.
The versatile devices can be attached to a wall or tree forsurveillance, rolling about two hours on a full battery charge, andtheir capture of the emotion and gritty reality of first-personaccounts resonates with viewers.
"It's proving to be a valuable tool for us, especially in court,"said Boisseau.
"I would encourage it," said Senior Justice Court Judge KenAdams. "You know the old saying, 'A picture is worth a thousandwords.' As long as it's a clear video, it can bring fairness - toboth sides."
- Henry Bailey: (901) 333-2012
--------------------
Wearable video
Walls' wearable video cams for police were paid for by the cityout of a wireless communications fund.
While top-of-the-line types such as those made by Seattle-basedVIEVU can cost as much as $899 each, those for cost-conscious Wallsare "Chinese imports" that cost about $10 each, said Police ChiefGary Boisseau.
They were picked out over the Internet, he said. "And as to cost,they're almost to the point of being disposable. So if an officerloses one, we won't be ready to pull his ears off."
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий