PistolCam added Solution for Examining

With regards to the tragedy surrounding the death of Detective Ridley, the ability to view the scene and hear the incident as it unfolded would put the question of police misconduct or negligence on the part of Detective Ridley to bed once and for all. Yet,the District Attorney has refused to provide the Ridley family attorney with an unedited copy of the tape showing footage of the incident taken by a surveillance camera. Interestingly, it has been reported that this same video was key in the decision of the Grand Jury not to pursue a case against the County Police Officers. The DA’s refusal to turn over the tapes leaves more questions than answers about the validity of the surveillance video.

In fact, surveillance videos are often times “questionable”; therefore the PistolCam, new police technology will fill a needed void. The PistolCam is a small camera mounted on the front of any 9mm weapon or long gun. It automatically provides video/audio documentation each time the weapon is drawn from its holster. The recording is encrypted and cannot be altered in any way. The recording can also be immediately released to help identify perpetrators so that they can be apprehended before others are placed at risk. The Pistol Cam also allows for better training of the force, as practice drills can be reviewed and discussed.

It has been reported that Newburgh Police Department and Sheriff’s Office SWAT in Orange County began field testing this technology last fall. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Clearly, the Sean Bell verdict and the subsequent “investigation” into the death of Detective Ridley has prompted the call for not only more training of law enforcement officers but the implementation of updated law enforcement technologies like the PistolCam.

New York State Senator Eric Adams a ranking member of the Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee in the State Senate has examined the PistolCam and is very pleased with its results. Adams noted “our officers and the public need, want, and deserve their police departments to invest in the very best, most innovative technology available—and the new training and practices that technology brings”.

Westchester County and the Chiefs Association need to take a page from Orange County’s book. In Westchester there needs to be a marriage between better training and the use of updated police technologies. There is no monetary value on the lives of our Officers and the citizens we protect and serve. The PistolCam is another step in insuring transparency in Justice and building trust in the community of the actions of law enforcement in Westchester County.