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Things to Consider Before Buying an In Car Video System
by Johanna Nielsen, Territorial Supplies, Inc. This article first appeared in our e-newsletter. To have articles like this delivered to your inbox sign up here.
Note: This was written using information for the Panasonic Arbitrator 360 current as of November 19, 2009. If you are looking at other systems, technical specifications will change, however the rest of the information is still valid and applies. Newer versions of the Panasonic Arbitrator 360 may have different base requirements.
1. The structure of your existing network. The Arbitrator 360 system is very powerful when installed on a server-client network with terabytes of storage. A functioning 802.11 (g or n) wireless network for transfer of videos from the car to the server provides the optimum setup. The system can still be very powerful when scaled down to the small department as long as enough storage is allowed for the TB of videos that are generated and stored per legal requirements and enough memory and speed are available in the server.
The base system requirements are:
Server
Intel Quad Core Xeon 5430 2.66 GHz or more
2GB RAM or more
Windows 2003 Server SP2/ Windows Server 2008 SP2
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 SP1
.NET Framework 3.5 SP1
Adobe reader 8 or 9
Back End Client/Administration
Dual Core Intel Pentium, 1.66GHz, 1MB Cache, 800MHz FSB
512 MB RAM (1 GB for Vista)
128 MB Video Card (Intel or Nvidia Chipset preferred)
DVD Writer (Used for burning DVDs)
Windows XP Professional SP3 or Windows Vista
.NET Framework 3.5 sp1
Windows installer 3.1
Adobe reader 8 or 9
LAN 1000 Base t/100Base-TX
If wireless transfer is not available, an SDHC card reader is also required
Additionally, you need to consider the laptop in the vehicle. Are any programs currently running that will interfere with the Arbitrator 360? Do you have open Ethernet or USB ports? Do you have wireless connectivity? Can you see the screen in the daytime? If you don't use laptops in the car, you can operate the system with an optional control panel.
2. A well thought out functional retention policy. What types of incidents do you want grouped together? How long does each type need to be legally retained? Where do you want them to be stored? How do you want to classify these videos so that they can be automatically identified, sent to your storage location and retained as long as you require? The Arbitrator 360 system can have 50 forced classifications. What would be your most common, easily identifiable and applicable classifications?
The following is a sample of a department's actual policy:
| Storage Location | Folder | Retention | Classification for Association |
|---|---|---|---|
| \\Sans1\traffic | Citation | 120 days | Citation |
| \\Sans1\Secondary | Felony Probable Cause | 365 days | Felony |
| \\Sans1\Secondary | Warrant Arrest | 120 days | WA |
| \\Sans1\DUI | DUI | 160 days | DUI |
| \\Sans1\FDWI | Felony DWI | 365 days | FDWI |
| \\Sans1\Secondary | Pursuit | 60 days | Pursuit |
| \\Sans1\Secondary | Disturbance | 120 days | DIST |
| \\Sans1\Secondary | Pedestrian Check | 60 days | Ped Check |
| \\Sans1\Library | Officer Involved Accident | 180 days | OIC |
| \\Sans1\Library | Officer Involved Shooting | 180 days | OIS |
| \\Sans1\Permanent | Permanent | 4000 | Training |
| \\Sans1\Internal | Internal Affairs | 4000 | IA |
3. Thought also needs to be given to users groups and rights. How is your department currently set up for access to critical information? This hierarchy can be copied in the backend software. Take time to lay out your user/group tree so that the proper file integrity is maintained.
Following is a list of rights that can be assigned to users:
Import Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to import the .AV video files from SD card, P2 card or other media.
Import non-Arbitrator video files - Allow the user to import the files except .AV videos recorded by VPU from SD card, P2 card or other media.
Operate Live Streaming - Allow the user to execute live streaming incl. camera control.
Create Case File - Allow the user to create case file.
Run Report - Allow the user to run the reporting.
Manage Update - Allow the user to create, delete, modify "remote update settings".
Manage Users/Groups - Allow the user to create, delete, modify users and user groups.
Manage Rules - Allow the user to create, delete, modify the evidence rules.
Evaluate Rules - Allow the user to evaluate the evidence rules.
Manage Classify - Allow the user to create, delete, modify the Classify information.
Change system config settings - Allow the user to modify the system config settings.
View your own non-Arbitrator video files - Allow the user to see files associated to their user.
Playback Arbitrator video files (.AV video) without any officer ID - Allows the user to playback .AV videos without any officer ID.
View non-Arbitrator video files without any officer ID - Allow the user to playback files without any officer ID except .AV videos.
Playback your own Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to playback .AV videos associated to their user.
Playback all Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to playback all .AV video files.
View all non-Arbitrator video files - Allow the user to see all files except .AV videos.
Edit Bookmarks / Classify / Snapshots - Allows the user to create, delete, modify Bookmarks, Classify and Snapshots.
Delete Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to delete .AV video files.
Delete non-Arbitrator video files - Allow the user to delete files except .AV videos.
Verify Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to run a file integrity check of the .AV video files.
Export Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to export a copy, format converting copy of .AV video and burn into DVD video.
Export non-Arbitrator video files - Allow the user to export a copy file except .AV videos.
Archive Arbitrator video files (.AV video) - Allow the user to move .AV videos to archive area or to return them from archive area.
Archive non-Arbitrator video files - Allow the user to move files except .AV videos to archive area or to return them from archive area.
Streaming and Convert Copy are not available at present. Upgrading is scheduled for the future.
You can import the users from your AD and assign them to a group in order to save time. An example of users, groups and rights is this:
Group: patrol
Users: officers in the field (listed by user name)
Rights: edit bookmarks/classify/snapshot; create case file, playback your own Arbitrator video files
4. How do you want the camera to operate? What zoom limit do you want? How many frames/second? What pre/post recording times? Do you want to include pre/post audio recording? There can be 16 triggers that automatically start the recording. What would be your 16? What power off time setting do you want after shutting down the ignition?
5. You can attach six cameras to the system. Do you want to use that many? Where would you place them? How would you want them to record? i.e. when back door is opened the rear seat camera starts recording, when main camera starts recording, the rear camera starts recording also, etc.
6. Who is going to be responsible for maintaining the integrity and functionality of the system? Someone will need to monitor the system to ensure that the retention policy does not need to be modified, that users have the correct rights, that integrity reports are routinely run, that the system is backed up, that the camera settings do not need to be changed and so on.
7. Buy the best video system you can. The Arbitrator 360 system exceeds all IACP standards. It is a perfect combination of Panasonic quality, reliability and durability. This combined with Panasonic's legendary customer service makes a system that far surpasses any on the market today.
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Copyright 2009 Territorial Supplies, Inc. For personal and departmental use only. May not be reproduced or altered for other uses without written permission from Territorial Supplies, Inc.
PO Box 474 * Council, ID 83612 * 208-253-0036 * 208-253-0085 fax * sales@territorialsupplies.com