Automatic video technology to be in place in more than 35 agencies across the state, including the latest partnership with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
INDIANAPOLIS (October 6, 2020) – Today, Utility, Inc. announced that the number of agencies across the State of Indiana using its BodyWorn™ camera technology, could increase to more than 35 by year’s end. Currently, Utility, Inc. has equipped 28 local, county and campus law enforcement agencies with its automatic video technology and the company is in the process of activating new camera devices in a number of recently closed contracts, which will bring the total connected devices used in the state to more than 5,600 by year end. The number of active camera devices could increase further with several new partnership proposals and additions to existing partnerships in the pipeline.
Of Utility, Inc.’s connected devices activated throughout the state, more than 65% of them are the proprietary BodyWorn cameras which feature a patented design embedded in the officers’ uniforms to prevent the devices from coming loose or falling off. Utility, Inc. has a wide array of technology solutions backed by cloud-based software and provides support to the following agencies in the State of Indiana:
- Avon Community School Police
- Boone County Sheriff
- Boonville Police
- Chesterton Police
- Dubois County Sheriff
- Elkhart County Sheriff
- Evansville Police
- Frankfort Police
- Franklin Township Community School Police
- Franklin Police
- Goshen Police
- Greenfield Police
- Hancock County Sheriff
- Harrison County Sheriff
- Hendricks County Sheriff
- Indiana University Police
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police
- Jasper Police
- Lawrence Police
- Long Beach Police
- Montgomery County Sheriff
- Noblesville Police
- Perry County Sheriff
- Porter County Sheriff
- South Bend Police
- Tell City Police
- Tippecanoe County Community Corrections
- Valparaiso Police
- West Lafayette Police
- Zionsville Police
“As a strategic partner for agencies throughout the State of Indiana, we aim to support officers as they further strengthen their relationship with their communities,” said Michael Nark, President and CEO of Utility, Inc. “Whether the contract is for five or thousands of camera devices, our commitment to creating a connected ecosystem of solutions remains the same, and our goal is to provide every customer and their community with technology to better protect and serve them.”
The company has begun deploying its largest contract to date in Indiana with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, a 5.5-year $9.2 million contract equipping all officers with BodyWorn cameras and vehicles with RocketIoT™ communications devices. The RocketIoT mobile routers build the foundation for the Utility ecosystem to enhance communications and can easily be seamlessly expanded to include In-Car Video (ICV) and Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR).
“Our partnership with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is a game-changer for us that will lay the foundation for future growth in the state and throughout North America,” said Mark Wood, Director of North American Sales for Utility, Inc. “Our policy-based automated recording, combined with real-time communications and GPS positioning, provides a powerful critical incident management and situational awareness solution. We look forward to expanding our footprint in the state to provide additional support to officers and their communities.”
Specifically, Utility, Inc.’s BodyWorn camera technology utilizes artificial intelligence to create situational awareness. It 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 numerous automatic recording triggers designed to remove the burden of turning on the camera from the officer. These triggers will automatically turn on the camera anytime the officers:
- are dispatched to a call for service;
- draw their handgun from its holster,
- begin to run;
- jostle or shake, such as during a fight;
- activate lights and/or sirens in the car and open their door;
- unlock the shotgun or rifle racks; or
- lie flat for 10 seconds – this feature, known as Officer Down, notifies all officers and communications, with a GPS location, that an officer needs immediate assistance
Utility, Inc.’s ecosystem also includes Smart Holster Sensors, AVaiLWeb™ cloud-based digital evidence management system and situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, transportation agencies and utilities. 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™.