Orange Co. Police Force First To Test 'PistolCams'

**BEB** · 10-30-07, 11:38 PM

Orange Co. Police Force First To Test 'PistolCams'

NEWBURGH, N.Y. (CBS) ― A New York company says it has invented a camera that fits into a gun and could provide vital answers when police use deadly force, and soon Orange County police will be testing the first-of-its-kind units.

The standard-issue Glock resting on the left hip of Dennis Barry, captain of the Orange Co. Sheriff's Department, is about to enter the digital age.

"We're gonna try this out and we don't see any downside to it," Barry told CBS 2.

In January, the department will be the first in the country to test the "PistolCam," a miniature digital camera that attaches under the gun barrel. The camera records audio and video as soon as the gun is drawn from its holster.

The developers of PistolCam say video recorded by the unit is even encrypted, and cannot be tampered with.

The maker of the device says in addition to a great training aid at the gun range, the "pistolcam" video will provide valuable evidence when deadly force is used.

"Not only could we use it to preserve the evidence, exactly what happened, but we could go back, we can train our officers to be better prepared, maybe make better decisions," says Bill DeProsp of Legend Technologies, the company behind the device.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department hasn't even installed the cameras yet, and already there's talk of expanding their use.

The mayor of Newburgh says he wants them installed in part to ease historically tense relations between police and the community.

On the streets, there is both support and skepticism for the PistolCam plan.

"Of course it would increase police trust. For me, I would feel better about it. If it's being recorded it should be correct," says Janelle Osborne, a Newburgh resident.

"A camera? That's wasting state money right there, when they could be doing other thigns for kids in this community," added Dee Davis, also a Newburgh resident.

At $700 each, PistolCams are not cheap. Still, in a life and death situation, the evidence they provide, however, could prove priceless.

Video at website. Mostly the same quotes, but with video from the cam.
http://wcbstv.com/local/pistolcam.gu....2.462479.html

Badge212 · 10-31-07, 12:05 AM

As if our duty belts are not heavy enough as it is...

**jmur5074** · 10-31-07, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by Badge212

As if our duty belts are not heavy enough as it is...

Yeah...cuz I was just thinking....I'd like to add more shit to my belt....what could I add....oh, how about a CAMERA!?!?!

**Ducky** · 10-31-07, 02:08 AM

It's supposed to fit in the holster like that??

**armsmaster270** · 10-31-07, 02:23 AM

More weight more back injuries, plus special holsters and I guess you can forget gun lights.

**ex401mp** · 10-31-07, 02:47 AM

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

**PapaBear** · 10-31-07, 08:37 AM

Something additional to use against the officer in a Monday morning quarterback situation. The video is not going to show the intricate nuances a suspect makes that pique an officer's actions or reactions. It is just a tool for the administration to say "We are watching!"

PeterJasonMN · 10-31-07, 09:26 AM

I wonder if they're CALEA certified.

**Virginian** · 10-31-07, 09:29 AM

"We're gonna try this out and we don't see any downside to it," Barry told CBS 2.

Sure, add one more thing to potentially handicap an officer in a firefight.

The idea is interesting, but if the technology isn't good enough to fit the camera onto the body of the weapon like the crimson trace lasers or into the spring guide, it's not worth the potential danger caused by a clunky attachment.

**countybear** · 10-31-07, 10:25 AM

I was going to say that this is a double-edged sword... but after I read further, I'd say its more like a throwing star.

**Virginian** · 10-31-07, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by countybear

I was going to say that this is a double-edged sword... but after I read further, I'd say its more like a throwing star.

Deadly only in the hands of ninjas?

**lewisipso** · 10-31-07, 02:48 PM

Hope there's a good warranty. That would get damaged in a pistol whipping.

**countybear** · 10-31-07, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Virginian

Deadly only in the hands of ninjas?

Potentially a great tool for the 96% of the officers who are statistically exonerated from video evidence in use of force cases, but yet another tool for the second-guessing of split-second decisions that officers must make in those very same circumstances.

Often though, courts (the global term I use for judges, prosecutors, counsel, and juries), tend look at video evidence as being the end-all authority when examining many cases. When held in proper evidentiary context, video is very helpful. However, (as in the case of an OIS where one cruiser video showed an offender brandishing what appears to be a weapon, while another cruiser camera caught only the officer firing his sidearm into the offender's shoulder and back), video is NOT the be-all, end-all. Had BOTH cruiser's cameras not been shown, or had one not been parked so as to catch the offender's conduct, only the officer's, or had one unit's video been unrecoverable for some reason, the potential was there for justice to be miscarried with terrible results.

Malfunctions or distortions of video will immediately be called "coverups", any errors in chain of custody and "digital doctoring" allegations will certainly become rampant. Video can create more questions than answers if for any reason it doesn't plainly and unquestionably show what one side or the other is looking for. "The weapon had a camera on it, however the video was unrecoverable..." is enough to fry a case in the minds of twelve. It can at very least create "reasonable doubt" when twisted into a pretzel by a plaintiff's lawyer. The human element of the justice machine is still fallible.

My greatest fear perhaps, is that video cameras mounted on officer weapons can serve to further delay an officer's decision to take force that is immediately necessary, (see my thread on "When do you decide to shoot?", verifieds). Room for doubt is slim when the requirements are "force immediately necessary", and creating even the potential for yet another hesitation could result in more of what we dred most, officer deaths.

The concerns about carry, weapon deployment, maintenance, logistics are real as well. However I'd have to say that if this is the wave of the future, I think we had better acquaint ourselves with all of the drawbacks before we run to grab the surfboard.

So, its a throwing star, it can cut you anyway you catch it.

**So Fla Cop** · 11-01-07, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by PapaBear

Something additional to use against the officer in a Monday morning quarterback situation. The video is not going to show the intricate nuances a suspect makes that pique an officer's actions or reactions. It is just a tool for the administration to say "We are watching!"

EXACTLY !!!!

**TheeBadOne** · 11-01-07, 11:00 PM

Um, for less than $700 bucks how about giving them a good pistol light...

**Star Man** · 11-05-07, 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by countybear

My greatest fear perhaps, is that video cameras mounted on officer weapons can serve to further delay an officer's decision to take force that is immediately necessary, (see my thread on "When do you decide to shoot?", verifieds). Room for doubt is slim when the requirements are "force immediately necessary", and creating even the potential for yet another hesitation could result in more of what we dred most, officer deaths.

I agree with your whole post but this was the very first thing I thought of too....