Utility, Inc. secures first partnerships in Michigan

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Julia Dorio
Jackson Spalding for Utility, Inc.
jdorio@jacksonspalding.com
404-214-2197

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Utility, Inc. secures first partnerships in Michigan

Canton Township and Battle Creek police departments sign multi-year agreements to implement policy-based automatic video recording technology

ATLANTA – Utility, Inc. announced its first two deals in Michigan to be with the Canton Township Police Department and the Battle Creek Police Department. The multi-year contracts for both departments with Utility, Inc. include outfitting officers with the patented BodyWorn™ cameras along with the company’s RocketIoT™ in-car video system to further increase officer connectivity and enhance each department’s technology ecosystem. 

The body worn camera technology, which is embedded in the officers’ uniforms to prevent them from detaching, utilizes artificial intelligence to create situational awareness and offers features like a two-minute buffer, which allows for capture of two minutes of video prior to the camera being activated, along with automatic, policy-based recording triggers designed to remove the burden from the officers to turn on the cameras.

“We’re proud to serve as a strategic partner to law enforcement in the state of Michigan,” said Michael Nark, President and CEO of Utility, Inc. “Utility, Inc.’s strategic growth across the country, entering new markets and working with new agency partners, further shows the need for innovative technology for law enforcement and the communities they serve, and the devices and software making up the evidentiary management ecosystem Utility, Inc. provides is helping fulfill the need for agencies nationwide.” 

Utility, Inc.’s BodyWorn camera technology utilizes artificial intelligence to create situational awareness and offers features like a two-minute buffer, which allows for two minutes of video from before the camera is turned on to be saved in each recording, as well as several automatic recording triggers designed to remove the burden to turn on the camera from the officer. Based on the policy, these triggers can turn the camera on anytime the officer:

  • is within 500 feet of a dispatched run, activated by computer aided dispatch calls for service;
  • draws their handgun from its holster;
  • begins to run;
  • jostles or shakes, such as during a fight;
  • activates lights and/or sirens in the car;
  • unlocks the shotgun rack; or
  • lies flat for 10 seconds – this feature, known as Officer Down, notifies all cars on the district that an officer is in need of immediate assistance

The Canton Township Police Department’s five-year, $660,500 contract with Utility, Inc. will equip the city’s 80 uniformed patrol officers with BodyWorn cameras. Additionally, the department is also utilizing Utility’s RocketIoT in-car video communications, equipping 40 agency vehicles to further increase officer connectivity and enhance the department’s technology ecosystem, complementing the existing Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information Systems (CLEMIS), as it continues to support transparency and trust with the community.  

A similar partnership will also be in place in Battle Creek where Utility, Inc. will equip 65 patrol deputies and their sergeants with BodyWorn devices. The Battle Creek Police Department will also be upgrading their in-car video to the RocketIoT system in 40 patrol cars. Utility, Inc. will also supply cameras for interview rooms in the department as part of the $737,300, five-year contract. 

Additional details regarding timeline of deputy training and technology deployment will be shared as the department and Utility, Inc. teams collaborate to develop a project plan. To learn more about Utility, Inc. and its technology solutions, please visit bodyworn.com. 

About Utility, Inc.

Utility, Inc. provides law enforcement officers with an intuitive platform for effectively capturing, managing and releasing video evidence. Utility’s BodyWorn™ camera and RocketIoT™ in-car video system incorporate real-time communications, policy-based automatic recording functionality and real-time GPS positioning for the best situational awareness possible during critical times. The BodyWorn camera utilizes unique communication capabilities and specific recording triggers to initiate video recording automatically. Triggers are set by individual law enforcement departments based on their recording policies. BodyWorn cameras may operate singularly or in conjunction with RocketIoT and come equipped with built-in accelerometers, prone positioning and light bar sensors to detect doors opening, rapid motion, Geofence entry, etc. Triggers can be updated at any time via the video management system, AVaiLWeb™. The AVaiLWeb cloud-based digital evidence management solution securely stores captured evidence and offers SmartRedaction™.

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