A 4 • Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
A tale of two departments
PTPD cruisers wired for video. Sheriff’s cars? Nope By Scott Wilson of the Leader
Who uses video tools? Those with the technical knowledge – and the money. “We’re starting to see a lot of this stuff right now,” said Scott Rosekrans, chief criminal deputy prosecuting attorney for the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office. “The younger attorneys, the younger cops are really into this stuff. The older attorneys, the older cops have got to catch up with it.” Interestingly, the Houston Police Department, where Rosekrans once worked as a cop, was a pioneer in police video technology. But the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, whose cases Rosekrans often prosecutes, has gone backwards in the use of video – even as the Port Townsend Police Department speeds ahead.
THREE CAMERAS
Now consider a cruiser driven by a deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. There’s no camera anywhere – unless the officer is packing one in his pocket. It’s a budget issue, of course. “We have digital video in almost all our cars,” said Sgt. Ed Green with the Port Townsend Police Department (PTPD). “We are wired up. We carry microphones. If there is a traffic stop, a DUI [driving under the influence], any contact with violators, it is all recorded.” The Coban Technologies system costs from $2,500 to $5,000 per car to equip the cruisers with the cameras and computer. More sophisticated systems cost $15,000. The PTPD began installing the system in 2007. The video cameras are not always recording, but when an officer sees the need to start recording, it’s triggered with the flip of a switch. The cameras actually start by retaining video that was pa ssively col lected 60 seconds prior to activation, said Green. In traffic cases, that previous 60 seconds is often crucial. That’s when a reckless driving violation or an accident may have occurred that prompted the officer to activate the recording system, said Green.
Take a close look at a Port Townsend Police cruiser and you will see no fewer than three video cameras. There is one pointing forward from the front windshield; one aimed backwards out the back window; and one installed on the ceiling above the second seat, watching whoever may have the misfortune to be riding in the back seat. There’s also a flat-screen monitor and a computer that coordinates and records from all of the cam- VIDEO, AUDIO eras. The front-facing camera
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said it’s unlikely the department will upgrade any time soon. “It’s on my list of things I would like to have,” he said. If voters approve a sales tax increase of 0.3 of 1 percent that’s now on the Nov. 2 ballot, the Sheriff’s Office will receive an additional $175,000. But that money is already spoken for, needed to retain a deputy and a couple of other employees whose positions otherwise would be cut. Despite the absence of car cameras, the Sheriff’s Office itself is well monitored with cameras, particularly the jail. Sgt. Ed Green shows the flat-screen monitor mounted to the ceiling of his cruiser. It allows him to instantly replay There are cameras in some video captured by any of the car’s three cameras. Photo by Scott Wilson County Courthouse locations, including the courtrooms. often sees the most action, or even sent to outside experts pect – such as one who has especially in a traffic stop. with state-of-the-art equip- been pulled over to the side of STRENGTH OF VIDEO The officers wear a micro- ment, as was done with the the road and is denying runLocal law enforcement phone and, in approaching a videos that captured Michael ning a stop sign – and imme- appreciates the advantages suspect, can now add audio to J. Pierce, who was convicted of diately show the suspect the video offers. According to the video. But, Green noted, the 2009 murders of Quilcene video playback. That resolves Sheriff Hernandez, “It memoofficers must advise suspects residents Patrick and Janice many arguments on the spot. rializes that event. If we have that they are being recorded, Yarr. The police station is also a specific time period, we can because of Washington’s audio Much of it, however, is sim- wired for video, in particular look up that date and time.” surveillance (wire-tapping) ply stored in case it is needed the processing room used to It also allows “digital laws, which require two-party in the future. For the typical book suspects. enhancement. We can lighten consent. infraction, video data is kept The next step? It’s not it up, clear it up,” he said. The citizen can refuse per- for 180 days, and then purged happening in Port Townsend “When we go to court, the mission to have the conver- – unless there’s reason to keep yet, but the Seattle Police jury can look for itself,” he sation recorded. Even if the it, said Green. Department is about to equip added. audio is turned off, the video “We have an incredibly 50 of its officers with tiny PTPD’s Sgt. Green said, still runs, Green said. large, multiterabyte server” video cameras on their lapels “What you have is a high“The camera has a wide that sits in its own dedicated or an earpiece that can record quality, high-resolution, unbiangle,” noted Green. “It room, said Green. Updating, every personal encounter. ased witness” that is convincdoesn’t miss much.” maintaining and clearing out ing for a jury. “We can’t be The rear-window camera the old video data takes a lot FALLING BACK everywhere all the time, but a Some 12 miles away, the video camera can be 24/7.” has infrared lights that – of time, he said. “I’d be lying if though invisible to the human I said it didn’t take up a lot of Jefferson County Sheriff’s eye – can light up a dark my day,” he admitted. That’s Office has actually lost ground PRIVACY ISSUES street for the camera lens. a far cry from his earliest on the video technology front. There have been few priva“We used to have dash cy complaints from Jefferson All that digital input is days as a police officer, Green transferred from the cruis- noted. “In 1986, I was hand- [mounted] cameras, but County residents about the ers to a main server in police writing my reports in pencil,” because of funding we have rising tide of video used for not been able to replace law enforcement work. But in headquarters (now located he said. at the spacious Mountain “It has changed our work,” units that have become bro- other areas, voices of concern View Commons) via wireless said Green. “It has strength- ken,” said Sheriff Hernandez, are being raised. interface even as the cruiser ened our cases. What we whose deputies broke open the Arizona, for example, was approaches the station. found out is where we were Pierce case by searching pri- the first state in the nation “They hit a button and appearing in court for a lot of vate video footage. “We had to put automated cameras away it goes,” said Green. offenses – DUI, other infrac- a few old VHS models. All on all freeways to robotically Then the video data is tions – we are not appearing are broken. It was kind of capture speeders with photo available for officers, or Green, as much anymore. When an a garage-sale type of thing evidence. Now it has pulled to use as necessary. Some of it attorney takes the opportu- when we procured them, but it the plug on the entire netis reviewed in order to write nity to review video, they come was old technology even then.” work, in response to what The Noting that he personally New York Times said was a a more accurate report, said with a plea bargain or some Green. Critical video evidence kind of deal. The evidence can is doing triple duty – acting band of conservative activists as his own undersheriff and who complained that photo may be enhanced by in-depart- be quite damaging at times.” ment experts such as Green or In fact, sometimes officers often as shift supervisor, due enforcement was intruding on Detective Jason Greenspane, take an argumentative sus- to budget cuts – Hernandez privacy.
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