According to a new report from IHS Markit, the global installed base for law enforcement and body-worn cameras is expected to grow by nearly 30 percent in 2018, exceeding 1.5 million body cams in use worldwide. The proliferation of body-worn surveillance has also resulted in increased demand for digital evidence management systems, which are needed to manage ever-growing archives of stored video footage and other multimedia evidence.
In a research note, Josh Woodhouse, Principal Analyst for Video Surveillance at IHS, said that at the entry-level, digital evidence management software must be able to manage the storage of video captured through body-worn or in-car cameras, however; the initial ingest of media from the recording device does not need to be within the digital evidence-management software. Additionally, Woodhouse said the software can act as a platform to connect existing repositories and device configuration applications.
According to Woodhouse, the market for digital evidence-management software has evolved rapidly since the U.S. announced federal funding programs for law enforcement body-worn cameras in 2014. This funding and subsequent initiatives not only increased shipments of body-worn cameras throughout the U.S. but also stimulated the development of increasingly sophisticated digital evidence-management solutions.
The capabilities of digital evidence management software can range from simple media storage to sophisticated investigation and case-building tools. In addition, Woodhouse said the evolution of the ecosystem and integrations with records management systems and other existing workflows enables law enforcement to gain additional efficiencies and insights from digital multimedia evidence. These workflows offer the potential for quicker evidence availability and wider-reaching investigations.
For more information about IHS Markit’s “Body Worn Cameras & Digital Evidence Management Report,” click here.
