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Cameras roll in fight against crime
By BRADY DENNIS © St. Petersburg Times, published March 28, 2001 ZEPHYRHILLS -- Starting today, lawbreakers in Zephyrhills might be on candid camera. That is, the kind that could convict them in court. Thanks to a state grant, the Zephyrhills Police Department Tuesday installed dashboard cameras in seven of its patrol cars. The cameras, which cost about $3,875 each, primarily will be used to document driving-under-the-influence offenders. "We found that this offers almost indisputable evidence," said Police Chief Robert Howell. "If someone is stumbling and falling down on the videotape, he can't really pretend he's not drunk." But that's not the only practical use for the cameras, Howell said. They also will be used to record aggressive drivers, police chases, and other offenders who might dispute their charges in court. Howell also sees the new devices as a training tool, a way to commend officers for good work and critique what they could have done better. "We just saw it as a good opportunity to do a lot of good things," he said. Chris Gehman, owner of Underglass Auto Tech in Lady Lake, has installed the units in departments around the state, from Melbourne to Okeechobee County to Pinellas County. He, too, praises the practical uses of the cameras, which are manufactured by On Patrol Video International in Ontario, Ohio. "People think they are just there to hurt the criminals," Gehman said. "But I think 50 percent of it is to protect the officers." The cameras use a regular VHS tape, which is mounted in the trunk of each patrol car. Each camera can zoom in and out and can be adjusted by officers to pan a wide range of vision. Two microphones come with the system -- one mounted in the back seat of the car to record conversation, and another attached to the officer's uniform. For all the system's praise, Gehman admits there are officers who aren't too fond of having their entire day on videotape. "Some officers like to have them, and others would say that Big Brother is watching," he said. "But, I guess the good cops keep being good and the bad cops get documented. "It's for the public's protection, too. It goes both ways."
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