Palo Alto Police Unveil Near 360-Degree Patrol Car Cameras With Audio Capabilities
PALO ALTO (KCBS)— Palo Alto police have unveiled a new state-of-the-art video-camera system designed to capture what's going on from all sides of the patrol car and even includes audio capabilities.
While video cameras in patrol cars are nothing new, Palo Alto police said this system from a company called WatchGuard, uses five cameras.
"One forward facing, two that go off to the side and one that faces rear-ward out the back window," Palo Alto Police Lieutenant Zack Perron said.
There's also an interior camera, according to Perron, that can capture anything that the person in the backseat may be doing.
"So what this gives us is a near 360 degree video coverage around the police car at all times," he said.
In many instances, what police are looking for isn't happening in front of the police car.
"For example, if an officer is on a car stop and they are doing field-sobriety exercises with a driver; that event is not happening in front of the car, but is rather happening off to the sidewalk," Perron said.