Four Major Things You Need to Consider When Buying Body Cameras
Australia is one of the nations where the use of police body-worn cameras was implemented a long time ago when these cameras came to life. The body cameras are mainly used for security purposes and they record the scenes as they unfold, which can later be used as crucial evidence during court proceedings.
Because of the above-mentioned roles of body-worn cameras, it is essential to find the ones that suit the job with minimum downtime issues or complications. The following piece of the article describes an ideal kind of body-worn camera that you need to purchase.
What type of body camera is ideal?
- Comfort
A person should not experience extra weight while wearing a body camera. Hence, it has to be light to be comfortable to carry around. In addition, it should not be too large and easy to spot as it may turn out to be the target in certain scenarios. Thus, you have to find a company that produces such kinds of body cameras to get the best experience.
- Durability
The durability of the body camera stands among the crucial things of consideration when buying a body camera. Different companies use different materials to come up with body cameras. But as a buyer, you need to consider both the hardware and software components of the body camera. For instance, the hardware components should be made from durable materials and can withstand the test of time. On the other hand, the software components should be upgradable and able to adapt to the ever-changing environment.
- Simple to operate
Considering the kind of work of law enforcers, they might not find time to wait for the camera to upload the videos at a slower pace. Also, they cannot waste time in turning the camera on/off, especially if it is a matter between life and death. Thus, the camera should be simple to operate with a friendly user interface. This way, an officer will just know where to press the camera even without looking at it.
- Resistance to weather conditions
In Australia, for example, we have four major types of seasons. So, the body camera should be able to operate on all four seasons regardless of how cold, humid, or hot the surrounding is. Some materials used to make the body camera may end up being destroyed by excess heat or rust when gets into contact with water. In addition, the lenses must also be made stronger and capable of withstanding extreme atmospheric conditions.
- Ways of mounting the camera
Some cameras have many mounting options while others are limited to only a few places. The most common places in the body where the body cams are places include a collar, hat, shoulder, glasses, and body. Thus, you need to assess the needs of your officers before you decide on the ideal body cameras to purchase.
Merits of body cameras
The following are a few benefits of body-worn cameras made by Comvision:
Provide firm evidence – Unlike written or orally mentioned evidence, a body camera records the incident as it happens and there is no room for lies by the accused. This helps the court in delivering justice to all.
Lessens work – Initially, officers had to keep all the incidents in their minds and later note them down. However, body cameras have discarded this practice and officers can perform their duties with ease.