Mini-recorder on belt

[K9 Police]

This has not been the only time that I have heard that having a mini-recorder on your duty belt to record traffic stops, etc. is actually a great investment. Has having this recorder influenced any of the traffic stops or outcomes from them? Is it really that beneficial to have?

Just wondering.

K9

[DelC]

It's called CYOB (Cover your own butt). It won't influence any traffic stops, but it will certainly influence the outcome of a bogus complainant from perps. I don’t see how any LEO could be without one in today’s world. In the shirt pocket works just great.

[CanineCop]

I know of one case where an officer was cleared for shooting a drugged up suspect who had got ahold of his PR24 based largely on the audio tape of the incident as recorded by the officers mini recorder. His Dept. at the time issued and required the use of these recorders.
But as Delc says these are largely insurance against false complaints by the public we're sworn to protect.

[Dwight6]

Ok, I know several people who carry recorders in their shirt pockets, but I have never heard of one going on the duty belt. That sounds like an interesting type of set-up. Can someone give me some details? I assume you can get them with a carrier desinged for your duty belt?

[rockyraider]

Here in Texas the wireless audio recorder along with in-car recorders and car video systems has become the standard set-up with most all LE agencies. In the PD academy that I am about to graduate from, we have been told numerous stories about how the audio and video recorders have saved many careers and the possiblilty of civil law suits. Many officers have had outlandish and damaging complaints made against them by disgruntled citizens, only to have the bogus complaints come back to bite them in the butt when it is proven that the bogus incidents never occurred. Our department has gone as far as charging complaintants with aggravated perjury for coming in and signing sworn statements alleging police brutality and sexual advances when it is easily proven that the events never transpired by simply pulling the officer's tapes and reviewing the incident. Besides protecting the officers from damaging alligations, our state also requires that each LE agency follow a strict racial profiling documentation process that basically amounts to documenting each and every contact with any citizen. Without the recorders, each officer would have a two page racial profiling form to fill out on every citizen contact that they have. By using the recorders, the law reguarding the racial profiling documentation process can be circumvented and the officer's time can be spent being more productive. I have heard that most officers at the few departments that don't have the recording systems in place try avoiding citizen contacts like the plague. Every time they talk to anyone they have 30 minutes worth of paper work to do. It doesn't make sense to me that anyone would do this type of work without the peace of mind and protection that the recorders offer. Most officers wear the recorder on the front of their duty rig mounted in a leather carrier that is a little larger than the average handcuff case. I have seen a few officers wear the recorder in their front shirt pocket. The wire that runs from the recorder to the mike is run around their bodies under their uniforms and eventually comes out toward the top of thier shirts with the mike clipped toward the top button on their uniform shirt. This is how we do it down here.

[SA FrequentFlyer]

Does anyone have any suggestions for where to buy the external microphone attachment for the recorders?

[TANKMGA8]

Voice recorders are great and an inexpensive way for you to protect your career if your department does not provide them to you.

I use my vidoe camera as a recorder when dealing with the public. It has saved a couple of complaints on me and other officers when I have pulled the tape and played it for my SGT. I can't believe I went so long without having something to cover my butt.

I am sure that any electronics store sells the microphne for your shirt, ie Radio Shack, etc.

[K9 Police]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Looks like I will be going shopping for a recorder. Do you guys use voice activated ones or something you can turn on with the flip of a switch? I am guessing you guys through a lot of tapes also if your recording everything. If you have any suggestions as to what brand is best, it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

K9

[parcellspost]

I am in the same boat here and am shopping around for a recorder. If anyone has a suggestion good or bad of what brand or type to get I am open. I have gone to every store in town that sells them and was not impressed with the selection they had. I am open to ordering over the net also.
Thanks
Lance

[Shadowknows]

Question:rolleyes:
If you do use one and the department knows you have it.
1-Can they deman you produce its tapes?
2-Also can they require you turn it off at certain times, say during a little talk with the boss?
Say you get involved in a shooting and you have the tape on, (not a camera) and your story is different. Can they make you give them the tape and if it is different than what you have said based on there opion doesn't that leave you a problem that you would not have had to have. Just thinking out loud--from the old school never give them anything:idea:

[SecretNY]

Originally posted by TANKMGA8
Voice recorders are great and an inexpensive way for you to protect your career if your department does not provide them to you.

I use my vidoe camera as a recorder when dealing with the public. It has saved a couple of complaints on me and other officers when I have pulled the tape and played it for my SGT. I can't believe I went so long without having something to cover my butt.

I am sure that any electronics store sells the microphne for your shirt, ie Radio Shack, etc.

TANK, do you mount your own camera in your car? What does your dept. think about it?

Thanks!

[TANKMGA8]

My camera is mounted in my unit, the department provided it and payed for all the mounting stuff. But yes it is mounted in my unit and the department is working on getting cameras in every unit, they are at about 50%

[copboy]

I know us security officers in the mall use them plenty also. I usually always have one in my pocket ready to record if walking up in a slight hostile civilian confrontation. I would think that most cops would want to keep all their tapes they are pretty small after all. Probably could right the date you start the tape on the outside then when it runs out on there as well. Plus, start of shift just announce the day or something. My supervisor uses a digital one he got from radio shack that stores his conversations in files. He actually sticks his in a glock mag case and it fits perfectly. I will stick to tapes though.

[g-mod]

does anyone know of a good brand name

[CanineCop]

I have a couple of Sonys but that's just what was handy when I was shopping. I've been using a forty dollar Sony for 4 years. Galls has several listings for this kind of product, I think I picked up 1 for me and 1 for my wife at Wally World (Walmart).
Ya'all be careful. K9

[DelC]

Realistic makes a nice small pocket tape recorder, as does Radio Shack. You should be able to get a decent one for 25-30 bucks. Forget the voice activation model, it just adds to the cost, and for continuity you’ll want to make sure it’s running continuously during a confrontation. Also forget about a mic, you won’t need it and it’s just something else to deal with. Even in your front pants pocket it will pick up all conversations. You will also want one that's easy to turn on (record) and off with just one finger. When carried in a shirt pocket this can been done from the outside of the shirt pocket, if the buttons are on the side of the recorder. I don’t how you would operate one if it was in a case on your belt. You will want tapes rather than digital. The tapes you can save for six months and then reuse, except for major scenes or cases that go to court. With a digital model, you may find the whole recorder being held as evidence, rather than just the tape. You don’t need to run the recorder all the time, just when you approach a traffic stop or a citizen with a problem.

In States that have one party consent for recording conversations, no problem. Otherwise, you will be limited to recording in only public places. (Both apply to conversations with your Sgt) If it’s your recorder and your tapes, you don’t have to let anyone know that you recorded a conversation. And remember, tapes can be inadvertently recorded over.

[SecretNY]

Originally posted by DelC
(Both apply to conversations with your Sgt)

Is it common to tape conversations with superiors? Is it for CYA?

Thanks,
SecretNY

[CanineCop]

Originally posted by SecretNY
Is it common to tape conversations with superiors? Is it for CYA?

Thanks,
SecretNY

That's why I got the one for my wife. There are some unbelievably slimy people out there and some of them are supervisors, even L/E supervisors.
K9

[Dwight6]

Do they make a digital recorder that permits you to download the voice files to your PC...kind of like a digital camera?

[SecretNY]

Check out Olympus. I believe they have one that does and also is an MP3 player for about $200.
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_product_lobbypage.asp?l=1&bc=11&p=25&product=700

SecretNY

[DelC]

Originally posted by Dwight6
Do they make a digital recorder that permits you to download the voice files to your PC...kind of like a digital camera? You don't want such for police work, as a copy is not an original, which you need for evidence in court.

[gaboy]

ScretNY
Be careful if you record a conversation with your boss. What may be legal in your state, still may violate policy with your agency.

In other words even if what you record may make your boss look bad, the fact that you recorded the conversation may get you in even a bigger jam.

Just a thought.