The next time you get pulled over by the Albert Lea police, smile – you might be on video.

Thursday, August 09, 2001

The next time you get pulled over by the Albert Lea police, smile – you might be on video.

As a reward for three years of successful operation of the Safe and Sober program, the police department received an in-car mobile video camera specially designed for law enforcement. The equipment will help police gather evidence to prosecute drunk drivers, and be useful in a number of other ways as well, said Lieutenant Jeff Strom.

&uot;When you put in a report and you testify, someone can get a (mental) picture of it, but when you can show a video of them falling down, it really aids in the prosecution,&uot; Strom said.

The camera will be mounted inside the windshield of a city patrol car. It is designed to automatically begin taping when an officer turns on his light bar, or manually whenever the officer wants to tape an interaction, said Brad Kollmann, law enforcement liaison for the Minnesota Safe and Sober program. Normally, it tapes anything that can be seen out the front window, but the unit can be pivoted to tape other angles. It can also be hooked up to a digital microphone for officers to wear during interactions outside the car..

A monitor on the control panel allows officers to review the tape while in the vehicle, Kollman said.

The tapes will only be handled by a designated officer to ensure they are not tampered with, said Assistant Chief Dwaine Winkels.

The visual evidence provided by the camera will not only be useful in prosecuting unsafe drivers, but will also help protect officers from accusations of improper conduct, Strom said.

&uot;You can turn the camera around and record your prisoners in the back seat, if they’re abusing themselves in the back seat and saying the officers abused them,&uot; he said.

The Albert Lea Police Department experimented with in-car video equipment several years ago, but experienced constant technical problems because of the area’s extreme climate changes, Winkels said. Since that time, technological advances have made the units more reliable. If this unit – valued at about $3,500 – works out, the department will consider purchasing units for the other patrol cars, he said.

&uot;This is a great opportunity to try it out,&uot; he said.

Statewide, 12 law enforcement departments received the video units from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

&uot;This is a reward for the lives they’ve saved through enhanced enforcement,&uot; said Marc Dronen, state program administrator for the department’s office of traffic safety.

Albert Lea is a leader in traffic safety, Dronen said. Over the three years the department has participated in the Safe and Sober program seat belt usage went up from 47 percent to 62 percent.

&uot;That’s actually good for outstate Minnesota, which is generally not very compliant,&uot; Dronen said.