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Career Survival with Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith

Tip: Capture the moment

Small, easy-to-operate digital cameras are now readily available and not terribly expensive. Get one to keep in your patrol bag or even your back pocket when you're on duty. A quick digital shot or two can help you reconstruct an accident or a crime scene later, and its great to document injuries, gang activity (such as tattoos or graffiti), the room conditions after a domestic brawl; the possibilities are endless!

Even though many of us have the luxury of calling in Forensics to take pictures, it doesn't hurt to have your own digital documentation. Besides, digital cameras also come in handy to document a commendation in roll call, a great drug seizure, or one of those many funny moments we encounter as cops and say to ourselves: "I wish I had a camera with me!"

Who knows, you may end up as a contributor to the Police One's "Picture of the Week!"