The following is paid content sponsored by QueTel.
By Police1 Staff
There’s been a lot of media attention on body camera video evidence, which takes away from the importance of storing and managing the flood of video files that are created. The decision to purchase equipment and a long-term storage solution can mask a number of problems that QueTel’s digital asset management software, Digital TraQ, was designed to solve.
Digital TraQ has a 10-year history of storing all digital evidence—videos, still images and audio recordings, alongside physical evidence. So all evidence is in one place and easy for investigators and prosecutors to access as the “make the case.” It provides unlimited tags for searching and reporting as well as tools to enhance files for analysis and to process files for public release and court presentation.
There are five main reasons to invest in evidence technologies like Digital TraQ.
Digital TraQ can manage videos from non-proprietary body-worn video cameras.
In the fast moving technology environment that is true of body worn cameras, agencies risk falling behind when they make long-term commitments on device and proprietary storage solutions. Digital TraQ and its Cam TraQ upload controller can break the lock of proprietary equipment and let agencies select video cameras they want without having to commit to one vendor’s storage solution. As a browser application it can reside on an agencies in-house servers or on the company’s Amazon cloud.
The upload controller provides a rapid files intake of files. Even large files upload in minutes, so equipment is available right away for the incoming shift. Sensitive files are available without waiting until the officer comes on duty again. However, if the officers prefers, he or she can “cradle the camera and go” and then take a minute or two to categorize and describe files prior to upload at the scene.
Digital TraQ is designed to manage digital evidence not just store it.
Digital TraQ was “designed by cops” for ease of use and provides full, effective digital asset management. Initially designed to store and control still camera images, it now takes in all digital evidence, including video camera and audio files. It authenticates file integrity on upload; provides a full set of metadata tags for searches and reports; provides management tools to control file access; notifies interested parties of certain activity; and adjusts incorrectly entered case numbers.
It offers a full set of native tools for forensic technicians as well as seamless integration with Photoshop and Adobe Premier. These tools allow them process video files (redaction, frame capture and segment marking); enhance still images (cropping, color inversion, edge detection); and process audio recordings (voice distortion, in addition to segment marking and capture).
Digital TraQ can store all digital evidence in one place.
Because of its versatility Digital TraQ helps eliminate silos of digital evidence. It can store most non-proprietary public surveillance video, interrogation room audio/video recordings and in-car camera files, as well as 911 audio files and uploads from smart phones. Digital TraQ can make it easy for investigators and prosecutors to make the case, by presenting all digital evidence in one place using one interface screen.
Digital TraQ was designed with security in mind.
Security starts with allowing fine-grained access to files, by allowing an administrator to create a virtually unlimited number of user groups, to which users belong to depending on their roles in using digital evidence. (It can seamless operate with Active Directory.) On upload, the system verifies file originality (it is possible with certain tools to modify files prior to upload). It authenticates that files have been uploaded precisely and confirms when displayed or printed that original files have not been touched.
To meet CJIS security policy requirements, it logs all user attempts to log on (successful and unsuccessful) and what files the user searched for and whether the search was successful. The system keeps an automatic chain of custody of all access to a record and any operation the user may have executed on the record—modifying editable metadata, printing, copying, processing or enhancing files, including a log of each step in the enhancement or processing.
Digital TraQ can interface and integrate with other systems.
As digital evidence does not exist in a vacuum, Digital TraQ provides a utility to interface with agency records management systems to ensure synchronization and eliminate duplicate entry by officers of case information and people information. It can integrate with a third-party physical evidence management system, although a sister system, Evidence TraQ, shares the same database and provides the most advanced physical evidence management features available.
For more information on how QueTel’s Cam TraQ and Digital TraQ can meet your needs for evidence management as well as those associated with physical evidence management, visit www.quetel.com.