Look to the cloud: Perks and pitfalls of digital evidence management

Grazed from PoliceNews. Author: Editorial Staff.

Ready or not the cloud is coming to your department. In the age of body-worn cameras, in-car video and ruggedized multi-purpose tablets law enforcement agencies need a place to store data coming from a variety of sources and devices. But before you jump into a data storage solution it’s critical to understand the implications and next steps — it could save your organization time, money and overall resources.

More often than not the cloud saves organizations money

Unlike digital photos, digital video requires significantly more storage space — even more than traditional servers can provide, in most cases. What’s more, storage needs in these scenarios can be exacerbated by the number of body-worn cameras or in-car video cameras your agency operates. Even a relatively small fleet can require large data stores — and this may come with a large price tag…

Here’s a good example: according to the IACP, one 30-minute MP4 video may take 800 MB of storage. Storing this data requires physical equipment, systems, utilities and personnel most agencies don’t have and can’t afford to add to their existing infrastructure. That’s where cloud computing comes in. Cloud computing solutions are 100% scalable and provide significant short- and long-term savings with no infrastructure changes…

Read more from the source @ http://www.policeone.com/police-products/body-cameras/articles/16279006-Look-to-the-cloud-Perks-and-pitfalls-of-digital-evidence-management/