Telephone Cameras in the W/C's Office

[pulicords]

We just got a new telephone system installed throughout the City system and a number of police, fire and other offices now have cameras, linked to the phone system (via computer). I really don't see how the public or other employees' new ability to see my face is going to be much of a benefit and frankly, the camera's presence (in the Watch Commanders' Office) was starting to "creep me out." Does anyone else have this issue?

For a little while anyway, I've found a partial answer. The nice thing about these little "ball" cameras, it they can be slightly redirected. Here's the "new view" of the W/C:

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u34/Pulicords/Patton.jpg

[andy5746]

Very 1984. Is this just city office to city office? How can the public see you - do they have to be using a computer-aided phone system? Haven't heard of such a thing - yet :eek:.

[pulicords]

We just got it over the last week, so I don't have all the details. As of right now, there are cameras (on the desktop computers/telephones) at desks in the police department and other department offices in City Hall. I don't know if we'll be "on camera" with outside telephones too, but from what I've heard that might be coming. :eek:

[PhilipCal]

Wow!! To the best of my knowledge, the State of Alabama hasn't "progressed" quite that far. Hope it doesn't. P.S. Like the image of the W/C. Is that his actual persona, or the picture of what he thinks he is, or would like to be?

[Seventy2002]

Brings to mind Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress inwhich Mike, the computer, creates a CGI avatar, Adam Selene, for TV and video phone appearances.

[Woofdog]

Just direct the camera toward a Playboy centerfold...

[Garbage Man]

Thats nothing wait till the next step when they w/c can access your in car camera live and watch what you are doing from his office. Its coming, I assure you.

[PhilipCal]

Thats nothing wait till the next step when they w/c can access your in car camera live and watch what you are doing from his office. Its coming, I assure you.

Glad I'm retired. Hate to say it, but I think you're right about that.

[andy5746]

Thats nothing wait till the next step when they w/c can access your in car camera live and watch what you are doing from his office. Its coming, I assure you.

Nah, I think it would be cheeper to make the W/C go handle the calls so they know it's done right :p

[IMachU]

No, we don't have that yet. The key word being "yet." And I'll take it one step forther, GM - the W/C will be able to access the on-uniform camera that everyone will be wearing, and watch how you handle/kiss off paper calls, etc.

[pulicords]

No, we don't have that yet. The key word being "yet." And I'll take it one step forther, GM - the W/C will be able to access the on-uniform camera that everyone will be wearing, and watch how you handle/kiss off paper calls, etc.

Supervisors can do that right now, in fact we were just talking about the last call you handled and.............Oh wait! You're not supposed to know about this yet. Never mind.

[pulicords]

Wow!! To the best of my knowledge, the State of Alabama hasn't "progressed" quite that far. Hope it doesn't. P.S. Like the image of the W/C. Is that his actual persona, or the picture of what he thinks he is, or would like to be?

The camera's directed at a picture of General George Patton (if anyone else failed to recognize him).

[IMachU]

Heh....I'm in the W/C's office right now.....and I'm watching you!! :D

[pulicords]

I guess I'll have to "button up" in my tank! :D

[Sixthscent]

It's here garbage man! A neighboring town has the in car cams where the Chief can watch what you do while your doing it. After getting the cams and working them for awhile the nearby towns Chief called a general meeting with all his troops. He had someone retrain them on how to position the car when answering calls example- point the cam toward the front house door, stay just far enough back on traffic stops so the entire area is "captured". Everyone wondered why all of the retraining. The officers also have body mics on also. One day while on a traffic stop one of the officer's Chiefs came across the radio and said to the officer, after your through with "Joe" tell him I said he needs to paint his truck, obviously he knew the guy and his truck. This started raising questions. After a week of turmoil it was opened up in a letter stating that the video was real time to Chiefs office. The technology is there. The cam situation can both help you if your completely in the right or hurt you if you don't dot your i's and cross your t's.