So my brainiac self decided to be a smart ass and got myself tasked with trying to find replacement cameras for my division.

My google-fu shows that cheap, AA/AAA powered digital cameras have gone the way of the Dodo due to cell phones.

Purpose is photographing scenes that aren’t significant enough for real crime scene to respond (property crimes and some violent crimes). So we can’t do the obvious and just use our phones.

Challenge is finding something that’s not stupid expensive, preferring batteries that can be replaced in the field with regular ones, rather than depending on someone plugging the camera or swapping out rechargeable batteries.

For perspective, the cameras we’re replacing cost about $30 each, but they are old and falling apart. Similar current ones have horrible reviews.

I think the best option is buying cameras that take rechargeable batteries, and having banks of charging batteries to swap out at the end of shifts. Would want 2:1 batteries to cameras at least though.

As you can see, this is getting to be an expensive situation. By at least an order of magnitude.

We used to use Nikon cameras that took rechargeable batteries. The sgt had a rack of them on his desk. The PD bought the cameras and SD cards.

IT set up an idiots way of downloading the pics on any computer in the building, or you could turn in the whole card for the property/finger print guys to download…but they only did that for one or two really dummies who could barely drive a car much less transfer pics.

They are still using the cameras a decade later and have gotten their moneys worth out of them. The only one I see Nikon still has is the cool pixw150. https://www.nikonusa.com/en/Ni...nkE:$151%20to%20$250

But truthfully I used to occasionally take pics from my phone and e-mail them to myself at the PDs email, then I just added the pics to the case…I’m sure it could have put my personal phone into being opened to discovery but I never had a problem.

I would look at cheap cell phones and just assign them to each car. Each car has its own phone number so it would be easy to keep track of and to keep from having the troops personal cells held for evidence

No body cameras?
If it is not important enough for someone to come out and take pictures we just make sure to get it on camera and narrate the video.

The (not inexpensive) Ricoh G800 (and G900) is a smallish Digital Camera in a semi hardened case that will run on either its proprietary battery or AAAs...

https://industry.ricoh.com/en/dc/g/g800/features.html

These are several hundred bucks each, fwiw.

So even if that one is too expensive, it's a starting point...

I didn't look real hard, but found this Kodak for under $70, needs a memory card, and uses AA batteries:

Kodak PIXPRO Friendly Zoom FZ43-BK

$62 through Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/KOD...720P-Black/276313370

What is the expected perspective needed?

The link below will take you to an example of how the field of view changes with different lenses.

Red Barn sequence

I’ve had great luck with a Nikon AW110 very rugged and simple to use.


Silent

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
No body cameras?
If it is not important enough for someone to come out and take pictures we just make sure to get it on camera and narrate the video.

The Axon 2 has a top resolution of 1080 - I think most agencies run them lower. Digital cameras will have much greater resolution.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
No body cameras?
If it is not important enough for someone to come out and take pictures we just make sure to get it on camera and narrate the video.

The Axon 2 has a top resolution of 1080 - I think most agencies run them lower. Digital cameras will have much greater resolution.

If it is not worth calling someone out with a camera it likely does not matter.

I'm sorry but I don't understand the obvious... why can't you use your cell phones?

Because the agency doesn't issue cell phones? That I understand, nobody should be using a personal phone for law enforcement work...

I guess I assumed it was standard for agencies to issue cell phones. It is in my neck of the woods, anyways. Every patrol deputy here has an iPhone 8 or newer on the county dime. All Sergeants and above in both patrol and custody have iPhones. Obviouslly everyone above SGT as well. Certain custody deputies, depending on assignment... maybe 30%. Plus CSO's and evidence techs.

iPhones rain from the heavens.

Only LE I have ever met with an employer provided cellphone are Feds.
I have worked with officers from many different agencies.
Most get an allowance for their phone (and like our case is no where near the cost of a phone or monthly service) but not an employer provided phone.

Using a personal cellphone is a terrible idea as attorneys can request the device used to take photos as part of the discovery process.
Therefore the officers phone and everything contained on it gets to be viewed by the defendant and of course is not accessible to the officer while it is given over as discovery.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Using a personal cellphone is a terrible idea as attorneys can request the device used to take photos as part of the discovery process.
Therefore the officers phone and everything contained on it gets to be viewed by the defendant and of course is not accessible to the officer while it is given over as discovery.

Exactly why our department issues phones to dang near everyone. Probably at least 500 in total. Heck, I have 3 issues to me. One for general use, one for media use (PIO type stuff) and one for sting operations.

I’m honestly surprised there are still agencies that don’t issue phones. I guess it’s regional.

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Using a personal cellphone is a terrible idea as attorneys can request the device used to take photos as part of the discovery process.
Therefore the officers phone and everything contained on it gets to be viewed by the defendant and of course is not accessible to the officer while it is given over as discovery.

Exactly why our department issues phones to dang near everyone. Probably at least 500 in total. Heck, I have 3 issues to me. One for general use, one for media use (PIO type stuff) and one for sting operations.

I’m honestly surprised there are still agencies that don’t issue phones. I guess it’s regional.

Likely more budgetary.

.

This suggestion might not work if you have been given a timeline for completion.

Have you contacted the US Defense Logistics Agency?
www.DLA.MIL/DispositionServices/Offers/Reutilization.aspx#:~:text=Surplus%20Personal%20Property%20means%20property%20that%20has%20been,at%20least%2021%20days%20before%20it%20becomes%20Surplus.

If they can give armored personal carriers, weapons, and other toys to local LE Agencies ~ I expect they might have some cameras for you???

.

Check out Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W800. They are $100 at Amazon or Best Buy and an extra lithium-ion battery runs around $20. 20 MP, zoom, video.

Best Digital Cameras under $100

Thank you for the suggestions. Sorry, been very busy with craziness tonight at work. The average patrol officer does not have an issued phone. There are lots around the department, but not generally the average field officer. Even more annoying, the policy specifically prohibits using phones of any type. Policy has not caught up with technology.

Our crime scene is always so tied up with violent crimes like shootings and homicides that we routinely cannot get them to come out to a scene. Things like domestics and car break-ins we have to photograph. Sometimes burglaries. The BWC‘s are not acceptable for the DAs office.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Thank you for the suggestions. Sorry, been very busy with craziness tonight at work. The average patrol officer does not have an issued phone. There are lots around the department, but not generally the average field officer. Even more annoying, the policy specifically prohibits using phones of any type. Policy has not caught up with technology.

Our crime scene is always so tied up with violent crimes like shootings and homicides that we routinely cannot get them to come out to a scene. Things like domestics and car break-ins we have to photograph. Sometimes burglaries. The BWC‘s are not acceptable for the DAs office.

Always interesting to see how different agencies do things differently.
We don’t take photos at vehicle break ins. Seems Strange that a DA would not accept BWC footage. What is the reason for having them if the DA won’t accept the footage?
Simply just to handle complaints brought to the department?

Our Sgts are issued cameras and they do the photos if for some reason our forensics folks can’t make it and it is something of note.
If it is something minor we just get it on body cam.

For patrol work, we’ve used a few cameras over time, and the one we used the longest were the Canon A580IS. I’m not saying to look for those since there have been many generations of upgrades, but their current counterpart.

I’m back on patrol again, and we only have Apple iPhones issued to us for case imaging. Everywhere I go, I’m always toting two the work phone and my personal iPhone so it isn’t optimal. Not saying to go camera phone either, but the cheapy SE iPhones take decent images.