The decade of the 2010s saw substantial innovation in the best police body cameras. The convergence of an increased focus on transparency and rapid technology advancement created the wearable video segment: the body-worn camera (BWC). Wearable video transitioned from an attached video recorder to an integrated edge device to improve latency and performance.
This latency and processing improvement accompanied the inclusion of sensors that triggered automatic recording to ensure video documentation of all critical footage, especially at the beginning of an engagement.
BWCs provide critical advantages for law enforcement agencies, as officers must protect their approach given the large segment of the public with recording (and editing) capability available at all times through their mobile devices. The best police body cameras can:
Enhance officer safety and security
Provide video evidence for investigations and court proceedings
Reduce officer and citizen misconduct events and complaints
Extend department productivity and capability given thinning police ranks
In addition to aiding the public safety agencies, BWCs offer additional benefits to individual officers as well, such as:
Improving officer accountability
Enhancing transparency and community trust
Helping in self-assessment and training opportunities
The need for officers to demonstrate accountable practices while protecting the public has never been higher. Officers integrate into local areas through community policing, creating relationships with the public in each area to become partners and build trust. Officers can be much more effective if the community knows they are capturing interactions and enhancing training, transparency, and accountability while encouraging better community behavior at the same time.
Enhancing accountability and transparency, body-worn cameras empower law enforcement agencies to capture critical interactions for increased trust and accuracy.
"Legacy" technology exists as analog and disc/tape recording instead of web-based cameras. Several factors render a technology as legacy, signalling the need to update or replace it. Among these are:
The technology is no longer supported, updated, or manufactured
Service parts are difficult or impossible to obtain
Lack of forward compatibility with modern software or browsers
High levels of downtime and performance disruption
These technologies lag the best police body cameras today in several ways. Video quality will almost certainly be worse, as the resolution is 1080p at best. This technology will likely need to be manually started and stopped, and it could have limited connectivity due to network switching.
Because some legacy technology is not connected, the technology doesn't automatically track geolocation, which could lead to delays in calling for reinforcements or locating fellow officers. These limitations hinder both officer productivity and operational efficiency.
Finally, public agencies always have budget concerns when considering upgrading to the best police body camera, leading to delays or declines in change. As a result, the challenge to incumbent legacy technology is that it's already been purchased. However, relying on legacy technology when the public rapidly adopts the newest devices creates a higher risk for officers, leading to elevated safety risks and emergency purchases.
Body-worn cameras enhance police situational awareness, capturing critical moments for accurate decision-making and transparency in law enforcement operations.
Several factors determine how to choose the best police body camera for your department. Among these are:
Storage and efficiency – HD video take up hard drive and RAM capacity; the best solution contains sufficient storage space to remove that consideration from officers in the line of duty while maintaining performance
Battery life – Battery life plays a huge part in officer up time and assuring the evidence is always collected. As more and more technologies are introduced into the BWC, battery life is challenged, and companies must keep pace with their battery technology.
Rugged performance – Law enforcement is a durability challenge for technology, exposing police body cameras to 6-foot drops, vibration, submersion, and other extreme conditions. "Rugged performance" can't be a marketing term describing the application for the best police body camera; it is a necessary feature.
Superior video quality – Details matter when recording law enforcement video. Images implicating a suspect's identity might win a court case or exonerate an innocent person.
Connectivity and network integration – Constant communication and real-time data streaming are essential capabilities for the best police body camera. Maintaining constant connectivity enhances security during critical events when switching between networks.
Situational awareness – Locating officers with suspects and directing response teams is critical for public safety. Integrating GP with geolocation and providing live stream through LTE connections equips central command stations with real-time information they need to make quick decisions
Technology support partner – Close collaboration with your department is critical to ensure the technology is used to its maximum capacity. Partnering with a technology partner intimately familiar and experienced with law enforcement can get the most out of your modern police body camera
The best police body cameras in the industry are shown in the table below. All are MIL-spec certified and have comparable specifications. Brand M is the more standard option, and Brand A has the largest field of view. The Getac BC-04 is the only 4K camera in the industry, with the latest-generation Bluetooth and the longest recording time in the industry.
| Getac BC-04 | Brand M | Brand A | |
| Max Resolution | 4K | 1080p | 2K |
| Horizontal Field of View (FOV) | 140° | 130° | 160° |
| Recording time | > 12 hrs | 12 hrs | 12 hrs |
| Bluetooth | 5 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Enhanced evidence management | Yes | No | No |
| Direct manufacturer engagement for support? | Yes | No | No |
In addition to the 4K resolution camera, the Getac’s in-car video has a front-facing dual recording LPR camera to accompany a rear body camera. It also offers a best-in-class Gen-3 in-car DVR for enhanced functionality.
Accompanying the BC-04 high-resolution camera hardware, Getac's digital video evidence management software (EVM4) integrates with the body camera to process the captured video. EVM4's enhanced speed, searching, and third-party API integration create a holistic hardware and software combination that delivers one of the industry's best police body camera technologies.
Enhanced evidence management enables variable device charging and customizes workflow streamlining evidence collection and organization for public service departments.
With its 4K Ultra HD video performance and dual SIM card slots, Getac BC-04 bodycam is a standout performer in public safety, and private security deployments.
Future developments in law enforcement body camera technology will focus on integrating AI for automatic video analysis, improved battery life, reduced charge time, and energy efficiency, as well as expanding 5G broadband data capabilities for even faster streaming and rapid data transmission.
An additional development for the BC-series police body camera is backward compatibility to existing docking stations. This improvement makes it easier for police departments to add the best technology in the industry to their forces.
The critical elements of the best police body camera include superior video quality, rugged performance, technical support, storage, connectivity, and situational awareness. With many technical specifications similar among market participants, Getac leads the market with its best-in-class 4K resolution, front-facing dual recording LPR, rear body cam, and Gen 3 in-car DVR.
Getac operates as a technical extension of your IT department, integrating the best police body camera technology into your workforce seamlessly, removing concerns over support and how to maximize the technology's capability. As the leader in rugged technology, Getac adds specific law enforcement industry expertise to deliver exactly what the modern police force needs for contemporary law enforcement.
What is the most popular police body cam?
Brand A and Brand M offer well-known and historically popular models, but the resolution and other performance enhancements of the Getac BC-04 make it an attractive choice in the coming years.
Are police body cameras worth it?
Absolutely. They enhance officer accountability, increase transparency, and are a critical tool for training and legal proceedings. Getac's body cameras are designed to be an investment in public trust and officer effectiveness.
Do police body cameras record all the time?
Getac takes privacy seriously and records only when required by law or when needed for public safety. The large storage capacity ensures the video will be there when needed after a shift.
What are the pros and cons of police body cameras?
Typical pros are video collection for evidence, officer safety and accountability, and discouraging disruptive public behavior. The cons include disruption to implementation and video quality. Getac's BC-04 4K camera and best-in-class technical partnership have you covered on both counts.
Scott Worley is the Video Sales Director for Getac in North America. His background spans strategic roles in organizations such as Toshiba America, Digital Safety Technologies, and Utility Associates, driving exceptional results by adeptly managing sales teams and channel partners on a national scale.
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