Additional high tech equipment continues to make a police officer’s life easier in the Village of Lake Orion.
Back in November, cameras in police cars were upgraded to digital. They replaced VHS cameras that have been an industry standard since 1998.
Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh said the VHS format has been a proven workhorse, and like cell phones and computers, has taken his department to a better place, but he believes the digital technology has many advantages over VHS.
‘There’s cost savings. VHS tapes are bulky to store and last only about a year. The digital camera uses a rewritable disk that can be rewritten 100,000 times. The digital format has few if any moving parts so there’s less breakdowns. The disk case will probably break first,? Narsh said.
Although both formats accurately capture events involving an officer and any arresting activity, the digital format provides a clearer image.
‘The biggest advantage for us, since it’s a disk format, it can be reviewed directly on a computer. No television is needed,? Narsh said.
According to Narsh, he has been told by the manufacturer of the system (Kustom), that Lake Orion is the first police agency in Oakland County to adapt this technological advantage for police use.
‘Since it’s been in, it’s been tested in cold and hot environments and we have found it to be reliable,? he added.
‘We are able to capture video evidence, attach it to e-mail and send it on to the courts for trial purposes or to the prosecutor’s office when requesting charges.
‘It saves time and we’re using tools that technology has given us to streamline law enforcement procedures.?
The digital also works for non-criminal violations. For example, a picture of a parking violation that’s being contested can be e-mailed and sent on to a magistrate as proof of the violation.
‘It’s honest and reflects what occurred,? Narsh said.
The cost of replacing the old worn out VHS system was in this year’s village budget.
‘The council supports us,? Narsh added. Donations monies, some from the local Masons, have also helped purchase some of the equipment.