Advice for Law Enforcment interview recording eqipment

[mateck8888 0]

Hello:

I'm just curious what other installers out there use for interviews room recording. I would like to offer something to my local departments that is purpose built for interviews, and not just your typical CCTV security installation. When I do searches looking for equipment, there are places that have proprietary systems that have exclusive distribution with their own internal sales reps, and the equipment/software is very expensive.

 

One of my local departments got a demo from one such place, and got sticker shock. We currently use DVD-R recording at that location. It works great because you get an instant easy to playback and duplicate DVD when you are done. But they would like to have features like watermarking, note insertion, and perhaps even camera angle changes during playback.

 

Can I ask what some of you folks are using for your law enforcement interview rooms?

 

Thanks!

[thewireguys 3]

We use Avigilon VMS/Cameras with ETS Mics

[jeromephone 6]

The first place to start is find out what your state requirements are. Michigan has just setup new guidlines for interview rooms number of cameras type of video etc. We are working on an interview room setup that is incorporated to a cctv system but the interview rooms have special requirements so the video is handled differently. Be wary of some of the "features" if you can change anything on the recorded video defense lawyers are going to be all over it.

[mateck8888 0]

Yes, I have read the new requirements. I also have done systems where we use the CCTV system, like Avermedia. But in those situations we also use an analog DVD recorder as the primary, and the CCTV system is only the backup. That way, if an officer forgets to start the DVD, they will still have the CCTV system going on motion setting. Also, the DVD is easier to distribute and copy. We of course have to use a time date stamp for the DVD recorder.

 

The CCTV software programs all seem to have some issue that makes them less than ideal, so I was hoping to find something purpose built. It seems like a big enough market, I am surprised that some manufacture doesn't enter that market. The whole market seems to be made up of small companies with protected distribution.

[thewireguys 3]

I have seen dedicated interview room solutions but they a not cheap. So far Avigilon has worked very well for our police department needs. Only issue they have had is exporting hours of HD video uses a lot of DVDs.

[shockwave199 0]

It's interesting because for all the interrogation footage I've seen, the microphone seems to be the weak link. I mean, you know who you have in there so to me to the picture is almost secondary to what they're actually saying. The rooms all look like an attempt has been made to improve the sound acoustically, and yet the audio always seems to be terrible. Most units watermark now no? My dahua does I believe.

[thewireguys 3]

It's interesting because for all the interrogation footage I've seen, the microphone seems to be the weak link. I mean, you know who you have in there so to me to the picture is almost secondary to what they're actually saying. The rooms all look like an attempt has been made to improve the sound acoustically, and yet the audio always seems to be terrible. Most units watermark now no? My dahua does I believe.

 

With our law enforcement customers they are looking for high quality video and audio. Also they really like the bookmarking feature which allows them to enter notes in the VMS about the interview.

[mateck8888 0]

I find the microphone part to be the easy part, with the exception of sometimes the acoustics of the room are bad in some of the rooms. I use Louroe Verifact D-V mics mostly. The are very sensitive, have a high/low switch, and are covert. A couple of my interview rooms have carpet on the walls, so that makes life easy. Its when it is just a square room. Then you have issues with acoustics, and have to try and get some furniture and various objects in the room.

 

Almost all my law enforcement rooms require cover cameras. I find the large problem to be the covert camera quality. I make my own with a thermostat and a small board camera. I like the video to be at the eye level, and not up on the ceiling in a smoke detector or PIR. This pretty much leaves me with the thermostat only option, as you can't put a smoke detector 5 feet up on a wall.

 

What I would really like is a small covert IP board camera. Then I could up the quality a lot. But of course I can then no longer use DVDR recorders, and have to be exclusively NVR recording.

[thewireguys 3]

Here you go:

 

http://www.axis.com/products/cam_p1204/index.htm

[mateck8888 0]

Thanks for the link. I didn't know they had anything that small. I'm going to try to spec that one out on my next job. Looks like it would be no problem in a thermostat.

[joseph.chen0312 0]

Make sure you will not offend local or federal law and regulation.