Don’t Let Hardware Define Your Camera Program
Most law enforcement and public safety agencies adopt body-worn and in-vehicle cameras with the best intentions around accountability and safety, as well as evidence quality. What they don’t fully anticipate is what happens after the contract is signed.
Proprietary hardware creates dependency, with replacement cycles set by the manufacturer rather than your agency’s needs or budget. Officers carry a dedicated camera alongside a radio, phone and sometimes a tablet, each with its own charging, management and support requirements. Evidence footage then lands in a separate system that may not connect to your records or case workflows, even as demand for transparent, reliable documentation continues to grow.
Too Many Single-Purpose Devices
Officers and other field personnel are often managing three to four separate devices when one could do the job, while smaller agencies, schools and campuses may not be able to justify a dedicated camera program at all.Gaps in Evidence Management
Footage uploaded after the fact or manually creates gaps in chain-of-custody documentation and can make evidence harder to manage across the case lifecycle.Locked Into the Replacement Cycle
Agencies can outgrow their current equipment but remain locked into multi-year replacement cycles, forcing them to absorb the cost of upgrading early.Body Camera & Evidence Software Designed for Public Safety
Versaterm Visual Labs
Versaterm Visual Labs is body-worn and in-vehicle camera software that runs on department-issued Android smartphones, turning a single device into a full-featured camera, GPS tracker and communication tool in the field. Officers and personnel capture HD video and audio, still photos and GPS data from a single device. Recordings start with a button press and no screen interaction required. Footage uploads automatically over cellular or Wi-Fi without a docking station.
Supervisors can view real-time officer locations and stream live video and audio from the command center, including the ability to remotely initiate a live feed when an officer can’t respond. For in-vehicle, the dash camera system uses the same smartphone and activates automatically on lightbar activation, speed thresholds or linked BWC trigger. Agencies manage body and dash cam footage from a single evidence platform, with the same chain-of-custody tracking and retention policies applied across both.
Because the software runs on commercially available smartphones, agencies aren’t locked into a single hardware vendor. When device technology improves, your camera program improves too without waiting on a proprietary hardware refresh cycle controlled by someone else’s roadmap. It’s also easier to switch hardware vendors.
Versaterm Visual Labs DEMS
Versaterm Visual Labs DEMS is a CJIS-compliant digital evidence management system that gives investigators, detectives and legal teams searchable, annotatable access to body cam and dash cam footage with chain-of-custody tracking from capture through case closure, built-in redaction toolsand direct integration with Versaterm CAD.
A Body-Worn Camera That's Also a Computer
The standard body camera typically does one thing well: it records. That was enough when the technology was new. It isn’t anymore.
Versaterm Visual Labs starts from a different premise. A department-issued Android smartphone isn’t a camera substitute. It expands the capabilities of a device officers already carry, replacing the need for single-purpose camera hardware. Officers record and stream live to the command center, while having their location tracked in real time for awareness and safety. The solution on this single device also uploads footage automatically to a secure evidence management system with the chain-of-custody intact. No docking required. One device, where there used to be three or four.
Agencies running traditional body cameras are managing around the hardware’s limitations. Versaterm Visual Labs removes them.
GUIDE
Buyer’s Guide: In-Vehicle Cameras for Law Enforcement
Use this guide to shape the questions you should be asking vendors about their in-vehicle camera solutions, from automatic activation options and cloud upload to platform integration and total cost of ownership.
DOWNLOAD NOWBuild a Camera Program that Works on Your Terms
Ensure every interaction your officers and personnel have on camera is an opportunity to strengthen accountability and community trust.
