PLANO, TX -- WatchGuard Video announced today the release of Version 6.0 software for the WatchGuard DV-1 police in-car video system. The Version 6.0 upgrade includes a powerful new Patent Pending feature known as “Record-After-the-Fact” which allows officers to retrieve buffered video that was not previously recorded to a DVD.
“The Power to Go Back in Time”
This long awaited feature goes far beyond the traditional pre-event video feature common in many digital in-car video systems. Record-After-the-Fact provides the ability to create a new video recording event up to several days AFTER the time the event actually occurred. Many officers can recall times when important events occurred, but the in-car video camera was not recording. Furthermore, most agencies can point to multiple court cases that were lost because the video camera never recorded the event. At times, a patrol vehicle may happen to drive by a location where suspects have been loitering prior to committing a crime. With Record-After-the-Fact, those unexpected encounters can be recalled to assist in an investigation or to exonerate an officer.
Redundant Recording Makes this Possible
The WatchGuard DV-1 is the only in-car video system in use that uses two separate recording drives to enable this capability. Triggered video events are recorded onto a DVD disc, while simultaneously the system is always recording video in the background to the internal hard drive. Now, officers can easily access the video buffered on the internal hard drive (which usually goes back several days) and define a new recording event simply by entering a start and stop point.
It’s Already Helping Agencies and Officers
In Texas, an agency was able to use the video from their DV-1’s hard drive to help identify a second suspect from a bank robbery. An officer was in route to the bank, when he happened to pass by the vehicle later identified as the suspect’s vehicle. The hard drive video clearly showed a female passenger that was not reported by witnesses at the scene. This unexpected video evidence proved critical in making a subsequent arrest.
“WatchGuard really saved the day for me!” said one officer. “When I got back to my car, I realized I hadn’t initiated a recording of the traffic stop. Since the DV-1’s always recording in the background, I was able to go back and make a recording of the event. It turned out to be a high profile case, and thanks to the video I had the evidence I needed to exonerate my character.”
A Free Upgrade for WatchGuard Customers
As with all WatchGuard software upgrades to date, Version 6.0 is provided free of charge and has already been mailed to every WatchGuard DV-1 customer. In addition, this upgrade is compatible with all hardware generations of the DV-1; even the 1st Generation systems manufactured in 2005. Soon, all WatchGuard DV-1s will have the power to go back in time!
About WatchGuard Video
WatchGuard Video, headquartered in Plano, Texas, is the nation’s leading provider of digital in-car video systems to law enforcement, and staffs the industry’s largest Research and Development department. The Company’s primary product, the WatchGuard DV-1, is a digital police in-car video system that records directly onto DVD-Video discs that play in regular DVD players. It is the only law enforcement product in the world that can create playable DVDs in a moving vehicle in real-time.