CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (July 19, 2013) – Panasonic System Communications Company of North America, a leading provider of mobile video surveillance solutions for government and public safety agencies, today announced at the 135th Annual Sheriffs’ Association of Texas Training Conference and Expo that the Brazos County, Tx. Sheriff’s Office is deploying what may be the nation’s first true cuffs-to-court solution for digital evidence management. Leveraging Panasonic’s Toughbook® Arbitrator 360°™ in-car digital video system and SafeServe® back-end software, ruggedized WV-TW310 wearable camera systems, and a Panasonic TH-65PB1U 65” interactive plasma display with integrated pen-touch capabilities, Brazos County Sheriff’s Office now has a complete, end-to-end digital evidence management solution designed to improve case management capabilities and streamline county adjudication processes.
A longtime customer of Panasonic mobile computing solutions, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office has been using Toughbook rugged mobile computers and Toughbook Arbitrator in-car video recorders for more than 8 years. However, due to the agency’s growing volume of evidentiary data, often from multiple agencies, Brazos County turned to Panasonic to provide a single, comprehensive digital evidence management system to capture, manage and maintain evidence chain of custody from the field to the courtroom.
“We have long trusted Panasonic’s Toughbook computers and mobile video surveillance technology in our day-to-day operations and these expanded capabilities for digital evidence management will help streamline our processes and improve the performance of our correctional facilities,” said Christopher C. Kirk, Sheriff of Brazos County. “These exciting changes and Panasonic’s long history of supporting our previous hardware deployments were a huge factor in our decision to continue our partnership with Panasonic for the long term.”
By upgrading to Panasonic’s new Toughbook Arbitrator SafeServe software version 8.0, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office will benefit from a built-in case file management system as well as seamless integration with its new wearable video camera systems. With the Toughbook Arbitrator SafeServe 8.0 back-end software, the system can now ingest an expanded range of digital evidence types including still and digital images, digital video, case files and report documents from multiple agencies. The system can also collect and process digital video surveillance evidence recorded by security cameras from a public source, such as a retail or liquor store where an incident occurred.
Now with Panasonic’s WV-TW310 wearable video camera systems, Brazos County deputies can capture high-quality digital video and audio evidence in the field, creating a tamperproof record of all interactions with the public and improving officer safety. The wearable camera systems will also be used by deputies in county correctional facilities to help discourage problematic behavior and eliminate or more quickly resolve frivolous grievance reports filed by inmates. These capabilities will enable Brazos County to streamline the process of moving individuals through the county system and minimize issues related to overcrowding that often concern county correctional facilities.
To complete the solution, Brazos County law enforcement officials will also install a Panasonic TH-65PB1U 65” interactive plasma display at the Brazos County courthouse. Equipped with an Intel Core i5-based Plug-in PC and loaded with the Arbitrator SafeServe back-end software client, the display will allow the Sheriff’s Office to more effectively assist court proceedings. Integrated pen-touch capabilities will also provide for high-speed and simultaneous multiple-input drawing capabilities via its advanced Digital Pen System, giving prosecutors the ability to access and illustrate evidence during trial proceedings.
“Working with customers like Brazos County Sheriff’s Office and helping them establish a comprehensive solution that best serves the county and improves safety for deputies and the public is always our first priority,” said Marc Taylor, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America National Sales Manager. “Panasonic is the leading provider of mobile computing and video surveillance solutions for public safety agencies, and our end-to-end digital evidence management solution illustrates our continued commitment to providing the best, most innovative technology solutions for our customers.”
Panasonic Solutions for Business
Built on a celebrated engineering foundation, Panasonic architects business technology solutions that help build a better world. Customers in government, healthcare, production, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises, large and small, depend on integrated solutions from Panasonic to help them acquire, manage and interpret the information that drives innovation. The complete suite of Panasonic solutions addresses unified business communications, mobile computing, security and surveillance, retail point-of-sale, office productivity, high definition visual conferencing, visual communications (professional projectors, displays, digital signage) and HD and 3D video production. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic engineers reliable and long-lasting solutions as a partner for continuous improvement. Panasonic solutions for business are delivered by Panasonic System Communications Company of North America, which is a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation.
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About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Based in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North America provides a broad line of digital and other electronics products and services for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation, and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic is committed to becoming the electronics industry's leader in green innovation by its one-hundredth anniversary in 2018. In the 2013 Interbrand Annual Best Global Green Brands ranking, the Panasonic brand jumped two spots to number four: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/Best-Global-Green-Brands/2013/Best-Global-Green-Brands-2013.aspx. As part of its continuing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, Panasonic Corporation of North America will relocate its operations to a new eco-efficient office tower adjacent to a mass transit hub in Newark, NJ in 2013. Information about Panasonic Eco Ideas initiatives is available at http://panasonic.net/eco/ecoideas. Information about Panasonic and its products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is also available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.
