By Scott M. Bruner
Police1 Product Editor
Personal video surveillance cameras, once viewed with suspicion by police officers, are now one of law enforcement’s best friends. Not only have surveillance cameras exonerated officers 99% of the times in difficult situations, they can also provide invaluable – and court admissible – evidence. Digital Ally’s new FirstVu Wearable Digital Video System and Photographic Camera is one of the newest products in the market, combining many of the best features of surveillance equipment into one handy package.
While the FirstVu system itself isn’t much larger than a pack of cards, and weighs only 4 oz, the features it boasts are impressive. The FirstVu includes a wide angle, CMOS color camera which can take still photos or record video. An integrated 2.2 inch LCD monitor on the back allows officers to quickly review recordings. One button on the unit is used to both start and stop video recording.
A touch button marks significant events. The camera also features pre-event playback which captures the 30-seconds of video before the officer pressed the record button. The video itself is captured at 30 frames a second, as an AVI file, in full VGA, and features auto IR illumination. Still images are captured as JPEGs.
The audio is recorded by a built-in microphone that can be connected to a wireless mic. Files are stored on a removable 8-gigabyte micro SD card and an integrated 16 GB memory chip. Data from the FirstVu can be downloaded through the removable memory card or through the unit’s USB port. The FirstVu can save up to 8,000 2MP still images.
The FirstVu case boasts an IP55 weather resistant body to weather the elements. In covert mode, the FirstVu system becomes silent and responds through vibrating notifications. The system offers a number of attachment options to fit on an officer’s uniform and can also slip easily into a pocket.
To review images back at the station, every FirstVu system is packaged with Digital Ally’s VideoManager II software which can playback, search, retrieve and archive the system’s media files. Archived media files can be searched by officer name, vehicle identification, date and time, event identification, even by case and serial number.
According to FirstVu, the product is designed for a number of law enforcement applications including impromptu traffic stops, searches, and victim interviews.
Digital Ally was created to supply technology based products to the law enforcement and security industry. For more information, visit www.digitalallyinc.com.