Police Struggle With Body Camera Data Deluge, Wilmington Pauses Purchases
Police forces worldwide are grappling with the data deluge from body cameras, raising concerns about storage, security, and management. Wilmington Police Department is pausing further body camera purchases due to resource-intensive footage management. Meanwhile, Birmingham Police Department is nearing its data storage limit, highlighting the need for robust, long-term solutions.
Body cameras generate vast amounts of video data, straining police IT systems. To ensure data security, accessibility, integrity, and audibility, forces must consider specific factors when choosing a cloud storage provider. Long-term, economic storage services like cloud storage are attractive, but solid contracts and clear service level agreements (SLAs) are crucial for evidential scrutiny.
A revision-secure archiving system, compliant with data protection requirements and supporting automated handling of critical applications in hybrid IT environments, is recommended. Such systems should be capable of secure, performant, and automated operation tailored for law enforcement needs. Additionally, data storage and archive services should be based on tape to preserve data over decades, irrespective of data volumes.
Police forces must also plan for provider failure or data migration, ensuring a chain of custody with a new provider. Services like Arkivum, offering 100% data integrity with multiple copies in geographically disparate locations, can provide such assurance.
The increasing use of body cameras by police forces necessitates careful consideration of data management strategies. By selecting appropriate storage solutions, maintaining solid contracts, and planning for contingencies, police forces can build public trust, preserve evidence, and ensure the smooth operation of their IT systems.
