With all the bells and whistles current smartphones have to offer, these devices have become more than just a communication tool. GPS navigation, internet browsing, media players, digital cameras — these are just some of the functions that make a smartphone the "Swiss knife of gadgets."
This week, Samsung announced that it's deploying Galaxy S9 units to Kit Carson County Sheriff's Office — to be used as body cameras.
More Than Just A Body Camera
The Galaxy S9 units will be attached to the duty vests of deputies from Kit Carson County Sheriff's Office in Burlington, Colorado. This will serve as body cameras that'll help in documentation and gathering of evidence.
In addition to functioning as a body camera, the Galaxy S9s will also serve as a secondary radio using the push-to-talk feature. This is especially beneficial in relaying messages from deputies on the field to the station house. Aside from this, the S9 units will also help the station track its personnel's whereabouts.
FirstNet And Visual Labs
All Galaxy S9s that will be used by the sheriff's office are FirstNet Ready. For the uninitiated, FirstNet is a public safety communication platform dedicated to first responders, which means that any device connected to the FirstNet network will be prioritized and will function with "preemption on Band 14 FirstNet spectrum and across the full AT&T LTE spectrum portfolio."
For the record, Samsung's Galaxy S9 is the first smartphone to be certified as FirstNet Ready. This feature is now a norm in all Galaxy smartphones and tablets following the S9.
The units will also come equipped with Visual Labs software, which will allow the officers to record and livestream simultaneously. This software will help the command center monitor an officer on-site in real-time.
Visual Labs software does not interrupt other smartphone functions such as phone calls. Instead, it'll work on top of other apps and tools.
"Mobile technology plays an integral role in ensuring the safety of our communities and the first responders who protect them," Samsung's Senior Vice President and General Manager for Business Taher Behbehani said in a press release.
"With Samsung's mobile-first innovations, public safety officials — like the Kit Carson County Sheriff's Office — can focus on what matters most: keeping communities safe."
