Minnesota Police Department Digitizes Evidence Management Process

  • Jul 31, 2024

Genetec Inc., a echnology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, announced that the New Brighton Department of Public Safety in Minnesota has digitized its evidence management processes with Genetec Clearance.

Home to 24,000 residents, New Brighton is a nature lover’s hub with 13 parks, an executive golf course, and bordering beautiful Rice Creek. To protect this family-friendly suburb, the city takes a technology-forward approach to its public safety initiatives.

They use the CentralSquare RMS and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) to manage 911 calls, first-responder dispatch, and incident response while streamlining information-sharing with other police departments. They also modernized their surveillance technology to include i-PRO body-worn and in-car camera systems, which are synched to capture high-resolution video of situations in progress. In addition to RMS data and mobile video, in the course of investigations, the department collects cellphone and doorbell footage, audio recordings, and more.

Trevor Hamdorf, New Brighton Deputy Director of Public Safety, said, “We’ve gained a lot from this solution. We want to share what we’ve learned with other agencies and help them achieve these efficiencies, too. From a time, resources, and safety perspective, there’s great value in this cloud-based public safety technology,”

Storing and sharing a fast-growing amount of data became more complex and time-consuming. More than 1,000 digital media requests are received per year, and each one took department records staff an hour or more to burn onto DVDs. To give time back to those resources, the department has digitized its evidence management process with Genetec Clearance.

As it integrates seamlessly with the CentralSquare RMS and i-PRO cameras, Genetec Clearance delivers a comprehensive public safety solution that streamlines processes for everyone from dispatch operators to police officers and records staff. This saves significant hours by automating manual processes from dispatch through evidence management. Additionally, since Clearance is web-based, officers can access information from anywhere. Being able to set user permissions for viewing, downloading, and exporting evidence within Clearance allows the New Brighton DPS to further protect and compartmentalize data.

Ensuring evidentiary integrity is particularly important for criminal cases and discoveries. With all data stored in the cloud and protected by built-in security features in Clearance and their Microsoft Azure Government cloud, the New Brighton DPS is assured data is safe, and privacy is protected.

Using the Clearance camera registry feature, New Brighton DPS has also started collaborating with other organizations. With the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), for example, interstate cameras are linked on a city map with Clearance. Should an incident occur, they can quickly locate nearby cameras and send MnDOT a video evidence request, all from the DEMS.

Featured

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies: Uniting Human Risk Management and Security Awareness Training

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

  • Report: 1 in 3 Easily Exploitable Vulnerabilities Found on Cloud Assets

    CyCognito recently released new research highlighting critical security vulnerabilities across cloud-hosted assets, revealing that one in three easily exploitable vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are found on cloud assets. As organizations increasingly shift to multi-cloud strategies, the findings underscore significant security gaps that could provide attackers with potential footholds into networks. Read Now

  • Built for Today, Ready for Tomorrow

    Selecting the right VMS is critical for any organization that depends on video surveillance to ensure safety, security and operational efficiency. While many organizations focus on immediate needs such as budget and deployment size, let us review some of the long-term considerations that can significantly impact a VMS's utility and flexibility. Read Now

  • Paving the Way to Smart Buildings

    In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, the convergence of on-prem, edge and cloud technologies are critical. The physical security landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid digitalization of buildings and the evolving needs of modern organizations. As the buildings sector pivots towards smart, AI and data-driven operations, the integration of both edge and cloud technology has become crucial. Read Now

  • The Cybersecurity Time Bomb

    If you work in physical security, you have probably seen it: a camera, access control system, or intrusion detection device installed years ago, humming along without a single update. It is a common scenario that security professionals have come to accept as "normal." But here is the reality: this mindset is actively putting organizations at risk. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.