Utility, Inc. officially announced the Atlanta Department of Corrections has deployed Utility's BodyWorn police body cameras—the only automated, policy-based, body-worn police camera currently available on the market, according to the company. The Atlanta Department of Corrections is the first and only detention facility to equip its personnel with BodyWorn recording technology to document interactions with inmates, says Utiltiy. Doing so enhances transparency, improves safety, and bolsters trust between staff and detainees.
"Utility is an Atlanta-based company; knowing that the Atlanta Department of Corrections is using our products is special to us and it also shows the critical need for correctional facilities to deploy BodyWorn cameras to maintain transparent operations," said Robert McKeeman, CEO of Utility. "Our goal is to provide law enforcement organizations with policy-based recording and video management capabilities so officers can do their jobs safely while also being transparent about their interactions with suspects, witnesses and the community. We are thrilled to be a part of the first correctional facility to implement body cameras, and we look forward to working more closely with [Atlanta Department of Corrections] Chief Labat and the rest of the Atlanta Department of Corrections."
The Atlanta Department of Corrections purchased 130 BodyWorn units. Utility's revolutionary BodyWorn camera system is the only available product to automatically start recording based on the individual police department's specific privacy policies using triggers such as a built-in accelerometer and voice-activated recording, according to the company. BodyWorn's Wi-Fi and 4G LTE service automatically uploads recorded video to a police department's cloud-based storage system for optimal transparency and video management. The service also enables real-time communication between corrections officers and Central Dispatch so officers are aware of alerts.
By deploying BodyWorn, the Atlanta Department of Corrections also has access to Utility's Smart Redaction software, which automatically redacts faces, body parts, and other objects in a video to protect inmate and officer privacy. The software can selectively blur or "unblur" images based on need; users' specific privacy-policy restrictions; and local, state, and federal laws. This unique feature minimizes lead-time to publish redacted video taken by a body-worn camera, eliminates added labor costs, and maximizes both accountability and transparency of law enforcement. Smart Redaction is a standard feature within Utility's AVaiL Web video management system.
In addition to BodyWorn, the Atlanta Department of Corrections also purchased Rocket vehicle routers and in-car video systems. Rocket equips the department's transport vehicles with powerful and secure wireless internet capabilities for up to 1,500 feet around the vehicle, while the in-car video systems keep a watchful eye on the detainees during transport. This system empowers the department to monitor and document interactions between correctional facility staff and inmates during the transportation process.
For more information about Utility and its Generation 2 BodyWorn product, visit the Utility website at https://www.utility.com/
About Utility
Utility is a venture-capital funded software developer headquartered in Decatur, GA, in metropolitan Atlanta. The company provides real-time situational awareness and police video management software as a service and vehicle wireless communications hardware solutions for police, fire, EMS, electric and gas utility, and public transit customers across the U.S. Utility owns US patents 6,831,566; 7,768,548; and 8,781,475; and has numerous patents pending with the US Patent Office, the Canadian Patent Office, and the European Union Patent Office.
