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Samsung Galaxy smartphones running Versaterm Visual Labs software already serve as body-worn cameras at police departments across the country. By replacing single-purpose proprietary hardware with a device officers already carry, the software enables recording, upload and live streaming without a docking station. Agencies are already making the switch from dedicated body cameras to smartphones, with the approach now expanding to 25 metro police departments across five states. 

The Hardware Replacement Cycle Nobody Questions

Traditional body-worn cameras are still stand-alone, hardware-centric devices. Even as some add on-device features like translation or automated reporting, they still function with multi-year replacement cycles. These cameras also continue to depend on docking stations, proprietary cables and manual end-of-shift uploads to get footage off the device and into an evidence system.  

When agencies don’t price out what that cycle costs beyond the device itself, the hidden expenses add up quickly. Docking infrastructure needs maintenance. A separate vendor contract must to be managed. Someone has to carry the IT overhead of running a second device fleet alongside the phones officers already have.  

Samsung and Versaterm Visual Labs started from a different question: what if the smartphones already issued to officers could do the job instead? 

How Samsung and Versaterm Visual Labs Work Together

Versaterm Visual Labs software runs directly on Samsung Galaxy devices, turning a single smartphone into several tools an officer traditionally had to carry separately. It captures video from an officer’s perspective, documents scenes with still photography, records audio in the field and helps locate personnel in real time. The same phone still makes calls and sends texts, while supporting agency-specific tools such as computer-aided dispatch and criminal justice database queries, with push-to talk built in.  

Samsung and Versaterm Visual Labs customized these devices specifically for field use rather than leaving them as an off-the-shelf phone. The external volume button is remapped to start a recording instantly, without unlocking the screen. Recording can also start automatically during a high-speed pursuit, or when the vehicle’s emergency lights are activated and the dash camera responds, so officers do not have to manage a second device in a moment that matters. 

 Footage uploads automatically to CJIS-compliant, Azure Government Cloud storage the moment it is captured. It can also be live-streamed for real-time monitoring and officer safety. Live streaming also enables real-time monitoring and greater officer safety. A command center can watch a scene unfold, a real-time crime center can access the same feed and a field supervisor can check in remotely to see what’s happening as it happens, not after the fact. 

Samsung offers a range of devices that pair with Versaterm Visual Labs software, so agencies can match the device to the assignment.  The Galaxy Z Flip series is compact and foldable, built for officers who need a lightweight, discreet device that still delivers high-quality video and a battery that lasts a full shift. The Galaxy XCover7 Pro is a rugged alternative, rated for the drops, dust and rain that come with patrol work. The Galaxy S Series brings flagship camera quality and processing power for agencies that prioritize image quality above all else.  

Versaterm Visual Labs software runs the same way underneath, whichever device an agency issues. 

What Agencies Are Seeing in the Field

Kimberling City Police and Indian Point Police in Missouri ran an early pilot with Samsung Galaxy Z Flip devices running Versaterm Visual Labs as body-worn cameras. It was the first time a foldable phone had been used this way in policing. Six months in, the results were strong enough that Samsung and Visual Labs expanded the program to the San Benito and Craighead County Sheriff’s departments. The approach is now scaling to 25 metro police departments across five states. 

“There is no doubt in my mind that your product is the best out there,” said Chief David Ryan of the Pound Ridge, New York Police Department, one of several agencies now using Versaterm Visual Labs on Samsung devices in the field. Command staff at Kimberling City described similar results. Response and investigation efforts got faster, communication across teams got easier and officers had less equipment to manage on shift. 

Watch On Demand: Samsung and Versaterm Webinar

Samsung and Versaterm Visual Labs hosted The Future of Body Cameras: High-Performance Video with a Smartphone, and the full session is now available on-demand.

Brett Stanley from Versaterm and Tim Lee from Samsung lead a live product demonstration of the solution. Then, three command staff already running it in the field whose agencies have deployed the technology share what implementation looked like and what changed for their teams. Sheriff Joe Colston of Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri speaks first. Administrative Sergeant Levi Thompson of the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division follows and Captain Jay Lewis of Sumter County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia rounds out the panel. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Smartphone Body Camera?

A smartphone body camera uses software running on a standard or ruggedized smartphone, rather than a dedicated single-purpose device, to record, store and manage body-worn video. 

Which Samsung Devices Work With Versaterm Visual Labs?

Versaterm Visual Labs runs on a range of Samsung Galaxy devices, so agencies can pick the device that fits each assignment: 

• Galaxy S Series, for flagship camera and processing power 

• Galaxy Z Flip series, for a compact and foldable form factor 

• Galaxy XCover7 Pro, for a rugged, built-for-patrol option 

Is Smartphone-Based Body Camera Footage CJIS Compliant?

Yes. Footage uploads automatically to CJIS-compliant, Azure Government Cloud storage. The chain of custody stays documented without a docking station. 

How Can I See Versaterm Visual Labs on Samsung Devices in Action?

Register for the on-demand webinar here, or contact Versaterm to book a personalized demo.