Mobile Vision In-Car Video Cameras offer the Hampton Police Division yet another crime fighting tool enabling Officers to not only record the actions of the suspect, but to also capture the actions of the Police Officer. Videotaped police operations can and will be used as evidence to prosecute those individuals who violate the law.
Mission
- Serves as a crime fighting tool enabling Officers to record the actions of a suspect.
- Serves as an additional training device for seasoned and rookie Officers allowing them to evaluate and critique their own methods.
- Serves as an additional means of evidence collection to assist in the prosecution of cases.
- Provides increased Officer safety, reduces court time and costs, and serves as an investigative tool.
In 1991, a grant from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD ) provided the Hampton Police Division with its first two video cameras. Since then, the Division has increased its number of cameras to twenty-seven. Seventeen units are mounted in patrol cars and ten hand held cameras are assigned to road supervisors. The cameras will be used to record routine Officer initiated traffic stops as well as DUI 's, drug interdiction stings, citizen's abusive behavior, pursuits, crowd and riot scenes, and surveillance. The Division established four functions of the video camera: increased Officer safety, additional training tools, an effective means of evidence collection, and increases in the number of drunk driving convictions. Officer safety is a growing concern, and the camera serves as a silent watchful eye each time the Officer is called into action. For training purposes the video camera offers the Officer opportunities to evaluate and critique his or her own techniques, interpersonal skills and safety habits. Videotaped incidents also benefit the evidence collection process in that video can more accurately document the scene than can a photograph or a written scenario. The videos have been particularly successful in obtaining guilty pleas in DUI cases which results in higher conviction rates as well as court time cost savings for the Division.
For more information, please email chiefsoffice@hampton.gov or call (757) 727-6510.