In an era that demands increasing transparency from police departments, releasing body cam footage to the public in a timely fashion is vital. By showing events from the officer’s point of view, body cam footage can show what actually happened during a controversial incident. Distributing footage can also help police solicit the public’s help in solving crimes that were caught on camera.
However, police departments can’t just release raw video footage to the general public. First, they must redact personally identifiable information (PII) that could compromise the investigation or put the safety of bystanders and officers at risk. Without the right technology, this process takes time and holds up the release process.
That’s why when the Pemberton Township Police Department received a grant to buy body cameras for its 38 officers, Chief David Jantas knew they would need advanced redaction software, too. And they’d need to choose carefully: The department’s caseload demanded an easy-to-use, efficient solution that could handle redaction of both video and audio evidence.