By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)
Earlier this month, our police department unveiled a new weapon in the fight on crime. As is so often the case these days, that weapon isn't a firearm or a special vehicle, but a computer-based technology that enhances communication, reduces paperwork, and allows police officers to spend more time on the streets instead of behind their desks.
That new weapon is the VideOversight interrogation recording and case management system - and it is already changing the way the police conduct and manage interrogations. Anyone who watches “Law and Order” or “CSI” knows that interrogations work best when they are viewed by multiple personnel - and when tapes are made to preserve the context and detail of statements made to the police. Yet interrogations can be more productive if they are managed by one or two skilled police officers working to build trust and reduce apprehension on the part of a suspect. That's why so many TV shows feature two-way mirrors with assistant district attorneys and police commanders watching from adjacent rooms.
In the real world, the work of reviewing and interpreting interrogations is more often done with video tape recordings, but (as anyone who' ...
Anytime
By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)
Earlier this month, our police department unveiled a new weapon in the fight on crime. As is so often the case these days, that weapon isn't a firearm or a special vehicle, but a computer-based technology that enhances communication, reduces paperwork, and allows police officers to spend more time on the streets instead of behind their desks.
That new weapon is the VideOversight interrogation recording and case management system - and it is already changing the way the police conduct and manage interrogations. Anyone who watches “Law and Order” or “CSI” knows that interrogations work best when they are viewed by multiple personnel - and when tapes are made to preserve the context and detail of statements made to the police. Yet interrogations can be more productive if they are managed by one or two skilled police officers working to build trust and reduce apprehension on the part of a suspect. That's why so many TV shows feature two-way mirrors with assistant district attorneys and police commanders watching from adjacent rooms.
In the real world, the work of reviewing and interpreting interrogations is more often done with video tape recordings, but (as anyone who' ...