It is a great idea as a leader to buy body-worn cameras for your officers who go on daily routine checks around the streets. Body cameras are somewhat expensive because they are built for an important role in the police department.

There are several companies that manufacture body-worn cameras and each has its merits as well as demerits. If you want to purchase body-worn cameras for police officers, you need to first go through all the options available while checking for certain factors that will help you to determine if a given kind of body-worn camera is suitable for your organisation.

The following are the main factors that need your attention as you are looking for the right kind of body camera.

Things to consider when buying body-worn cameras

·         Size of the body camera

The lighter the camera, the more suitable it is to carry it around. It is crucial to find a company that manufactures lighter cameras that are convenient to carry around without feeling the weight. This gives the police officer comfort as they walk around the streets. However, you should not solely rely on the weight of the camera and ignore other important factors such as durability as described in the next point.

·         Durability

As much as the body camera needs to be light in weight, you should also put its durability into question. This is important because the police officers are sometimes involved in running or battle incidents and the camera must still be able to do its role.

·         Cost

You are well aware that the cost of buying a given type of body camera from one company is quite different as you would find in other companies. Hence, you are provided with plenty of options and it is upon you to decide the right budget that you want to allocate to body-worn cameras.

·         Simple to use

The body-worn cameras should be simple to use, especially where it is a matter of urgency when the officer encounters an incident of interest. The camera should be easy to turn on/off. It should also be easy to label all videos to avoid wasting the officer’s time while on the field.

·         Weather resistant

Body-worn cameras should be operational in all seasons because police officers are engaged throughout. For instance, it should be waterproof so that it can still function during the rainy season. It should also function on a hot sunny day without any delays or overheating problems.

·         Multiple mounting alternatives

The camera should have multiple mounting options and the police officer should be able to install it at whatever place they feel comfortable. The most common parts for mounting include shoulder, body, collar, hat.

Limitations of body cameras

Here are a few limitations of using body-worn cameras:

Expensive – as mention at the beginning of this article, police body cameras are quite expensive than ordinary cameras and most people may shy away from them.

Invades privacy – the police body cameras are not so good when it comes to maintaining privacy. It may expose an individual who did not want his or her whereabouts to be known. Moreover, the camera captures the faces of citizens and subjects them to facial recognition software, something which is not cool at all.

Compromises the safety of police officers – since most people do not like being recorded by a police officer, thus respond by attacking police officers and putting their lives in danger.

Comvision Australia is a trusted name when it comes to body cameras. Call them for your needs.