Sponsored by WOLFCOM
By Police1 Brand Focus Staff
Police body cameras (bodycams) have been around for about a decade, and not much has changed since then – until now. Mindful that police and other bodycam users deserve access to the latest in operational technology, WOLFCOM has created the next generation wearable WOLFCOM Commander Police Body Camera.
Designed to run efficiently and economically across commercial 4G/LTE wireless networks, the WOLFCOM Commander is a multi-functional smart bodycam that can literally save an officer’s life. This is due to this bodycam’s built-in red SOS button that transmits the wearer’s GPS location and live audio/video feed directly to dispatch for immediate assistance.
The SOS call, which is managed by Wolfcom Enterprise’s Commander Online Platform System (COPS), allows the dispatcher to initiate hands-free communications with the stricken officer immediately. The dispatcher can also see and hear what is happening with the officer in real-time while help is on the way. Since the WOLFCOM Commander meets IP68 ruggedness standards for dust, dirt and water resistance (including immersion for up to 30 minutes) and offers up to 15 hours of runtime on a single battery charge, this device will keep sending this life-saving information no matter what.
Smartphone features enhance safety, security
Designed to incorporate the latest advances in modern smartphone design, the compact WOLFCOM Commander (measuring 4 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.71 inches thick and weighing just 6.3 ounces) is a secure Android device that comes with built-in 4G/LTE and WiFi/Bluetooth/NFC connectivity. It comes with HD quality audio/video capture/recording, live video streaming to let dispatch see what is happening at the officer’s location, real-time GPS location tracking, one-button SOS Emergency Connect, a 3.1-inch rear touchscreen that supports text messaging and video review, and a Push-to-Talk button that connects the wearer directly to other officers and dispatch on their shared network.
Push to Talk Capability
Commander also features a Push to Talk communication system over 4G/LTE allowing officers to communicate with other body camera users and dispatch in the event their main radio is out of range or out of battery.
Ease of use
Controlled by a large front-mounted button, the WOLFCOM Commander captures a true view of what is happening thanks to its built-in microphone and 140-degree wide-angle lens with rotatable camera head. The audio/video is recorded on the unit’s internal memory and livestreamed as required to dispatch over 4G/LTE wireless.
At the end of shift, the WOLFCOM Commander’s content is automatically downloaded to the department’s on-premises server or cloud-based storage when the bodycam is set into its charging station – with the internal memory being automatically cleared once the file transfer is complete. (Recordings on the WOLFCOM Commander are automatically encrypted and can be set to erase should the device be accessed by unauthorized users.)
To ensure accurate incident documentation, the WOLFCOM Commander has an available pre-record mode that can capture vital initial moments of an incident, should the officer be distracted from activating their bodycam immediately in the heat of the moment. The system’s built-in Geotag system electronically stamps the date, time, and GPS coordinates onto every video and photo file as well as the officer’s badge number.
For maximum recording effectiveness, the WOLFCOM Commander comes with programmable automatic built-in night-vision for capturing detailed video in low-light conditions. It also has a programmable Public Awareness Light on the bodycam’s front surface to either alert the public that they are being recorded, or show other officers where the wearer is at any given moment.
Adding to a larger evidentiary universe
On its own, the WOLFCOM Commander is a smart bodycam. When connected to the WOLFCOM Evidence Management System (WEMS), the Commander becomes part of a much larger, more capable evidentiary universe.
Available in languages including as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Arabic and Russian, the web-based WEMS can serve as a central secure storage point for all WOLFCOM Commander audio/video files, with access provided to authorized police/prosecutor personnel through a secure private VPN (virtual private network). They can use WEMS to share evidence and case files, secure in the knowledge that proper chain-of-custody rules are being followed through real-time electronic access documentation.
WEMS is CJIS-compliant and user friendly, which is why it is being used today by hundreds of police departments and security agencies all around the world. The system makes it easy for officers to manage evidence files (such as videos, audios, photos and documents) through an intuitive interface. Users with appropriate rights and privileges are also able to generate audit trail reports of these evidence files, tag and verify the integrity of each asset, and automatically purge these files in line with their department’s retention policies.
Users deserve smarter bodycams now
The many features provided by the WOLFCOM Commander bodycam, plus the power of the WOLFCOM Evidence Management System, are precisely what police and other bodycam users need and deserve right now.
At a time when public trust in law enforcement is at an all-time low, reliable and detailed bodycam footage is a must for departments working to reestablish this trust. At the same time, officers need to know that dispatch can see and hear what is happening to them as it happens, and that dispatch can send help to these officers as soon as it is needed.
The WOLFCOM Commander bodycam can do all of this and more. In combination with WEMS, the WOLFCOM Commander is among the most capable bodycams available to law enforcement today.
Visit WOLFCOM for more information.