In-Car Video System Testimonials/Reviews

“The officers have increased peace-of-mind with the new wireless video system that Trapeze and Digital Ally provide. In addition to ensuring a complete and untainted chain of evidence for the videos, the officers can improve their handling of dangerous situations by using them for training purposes.

The citizen complaint rate has dropped significantly since we installed the cameras. We have also experienced an increase in officer morale due to their new ability to watch the videos of their stops.”

Criss Hudson
Captain, Clarkston Police Department

Click Here to Read the Full Case Study

“Thank you. I finally got a car that has a good camera system after 15 years of being a cop. To call it just a "camera system" is a gross understatement.

I have been chomping at the bit to get one of our new Dodge Chargers for a while and the camera system is one of the biggest reasons. I/we have had other systems and have been disappointed. Well, no longer! Thank you all.”

Sgt. J.B. Swain
City of Snellville Police Department

“During the past year, we have had a demo unit installed in Trooper J. Ivy’s vehicle and it has worked flawlessly. He loves the system and I love the fact that it has been worry free.

I have not had to do anything to it, while the 8MM units from another company have constantly been in and out of the shop for a variety of issues.

I would strongly recommend this unit to any agency that is contemplating purchase of in car video.

I want to thank you and all of your staff for the excellent support and opportunity to try this system.”

Landon Carpenter, RCT3
Support Services Section
Tennessee Highway Patrol

“Thank you, I appreciate the support that you provide with you product. I have a part time officer that works for a bigger agency and they just purchased a video recording system that is very expensive. He likes the quality of our system much better than their expensive system. Now he knows how you are committed to stand by your product. Any one who asks me will be told Digital Ally is the way to go. Thanks again.”

Thomas E. Dornbrook
Chief of Police
Brandon-Fairwater Police Dept.

“I would like to take this opportunity to tell you how much we appreciate the products of Digital Ally. Your in car video camera system has met or exceeded all of our expectations for an affordable and dependable digital video system. Your system is very easy to install in the squad cars, and is user friendly for the officers. It gives exceptional quality of videos. The digital system is very easy to download to a standard PC computer and makes it simple to make copies of the evidence when needed, for use by the courts or upon attorney requests. We have used your system for almost a year now in all types of weather conditions and extremes in hot or cold temperatures. It works excellently, and has eliminated the down time that we had before with other more expensive VHS equipment, that was considered to be the standard of the industry...

...I would like to end by saying thank you for your technological support that provides updates to the equipment. We have never felt with your company that we purchased something and was left to fend for ourselves or had to figure it out on our own. It means a lot to us to have direct corporate product communication if needed only a phone call away.

Please feel free to use me as a reference for any of your product line if needed. It is a pleasure to purchase equipment and have it work right out of the box to meet our needs.”

Kenneth R. Ketzler
Chief of Police
Decatur Police Department

“I did the install of this system in one of my agency patrol cars and was surprised to find how easy it was to not only install, which took me about three hours, but the configuration and operation was just as simple. This was my first installation and Digital Ally claims that most installs are performed in an hour or less. The included instructions walk you through every step of the process.

There are a number of features that I find to be of great value...”

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Review By Steve Forgues
Since 1993, Steve has worked contract security, police, corrections and tactical operations. Besides being a police officer, Steve also volunteers with a local fire department. In 2005, Steve decided to put his experience in law enforcement to greater use and started writing law enforcement related articles, to benefit his fellow officer's around the world.

“Several years ago our department began researching an alternative to the in-car camera system that we were using. I was not satisfied with the price or performance of the existing system. It seemed that the cameras were spending more time being repaired than being used, and the repair costs were unreasonable. In addition, the transfer of data from one media to another was cumbersome, at best. Vaults in the trunks took up valuable storage space.

At an I.A.C.P. conference I happened upon the Digital Ally booth. After speaking with a representative for just a few minutes it became clear that the technology made sense. The small amount of space the system required, as well as the ease and the economy of installation, was very appealing. After completing our research I placed the order for our first group of Digital Ally in-car cameras. A short time later we received our order and we began installing them in our cars.

To say I am pleased with Digital Ally’s performance is an understatement. The camera systems have operated almost flawlessly. The few minor problems that we experienced in the beginning were quickly addressed and they have worked extremely well since.

After looking at all of the in-car systems on the market I am confident that we made the best decision. Comparing price, ease of installation, dependability and user-friendliness, nothing else came close.

I am well pleased with Digital Ally, and would recommend them to anyone.”

Chief Jeff Wesley
Denham Springs Police Department

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Digital Ally for making what I think is the best video unit on the market, the DVM 500. We tried all the best known video units out and purchased a DVM 500. The regional sales representative Troy McCoy was great. He came out to our agency and trained us with the unit. Anything we needed, he helped us. He gave us his cell number and answer questions on the weekend. You could not get better service than that. I have won many traffic court cases now due to the unit and its quality video. I’m able to play the traffic stop back on my laptop in court for all to see. My D.U.I. cases have improved as well. The rear camera hidden in the mirror with mic. has shown the State Attorney the evidence for convictions. The tech support is great. They loaded programs and switched information on our department computer via the internet. The video unit shows the radar unit on the display for playback for the court. The unit comes with GPS standard, other units GPS is an option. I’m truly impressed by this product, the DVM 500.

I have the best news to tell you. Because of your video unit our Agency placed 1st in Municipal Police Category One. I was awarded Officer of the Year for the entire State of Florida by the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge."

Lt. Steven Donaldson
Hampton Police Dept.

"We at the Marengo Police Department have been using the Digital Ally camera system since August, 2006 in all of our squad cars. After previewing several new camera systems, we decided on Digital Ally because of the ease of use, security of video preservation, and all of the features that our Department felt necessary for an in-squad video system. As expected, Digital Ally has met these needs.

The software used back in the office for storing the video files is easy to operate and our City attorneys have come to expect clear video and audio to aid in the prosecution of those charged. Our patrol officers rely on the camera system for their everyday duties, including establishing probable cause where the cameras have exonerated our officers from baseless complaints, both on reasons for the stop and accused poor attitude. Needless to say, convictions are up and false complaints are down.

The support that the Marengo Police Department has received from the Digital Ally staff has also been excellent. As with all new equipment there is a learning process. The support, patience and service that we have received from Digital Ally has been second to none. We here at the Marengo Police Department have come to rely on the cameras more and more every day."

Sergeant Paul Fritz
Marengo Police Department

"In 1990, Upper Allen Township Police Department was the first agency in South Central PA to install Mobile Video Recorders in all patrol cars. In 2005 a decision was made to upgrade all units which were VHS technology with current digital technology units.

After visiting all of the vendors at the 2005 IACP conference offering mobile video units a decision, which I regret, was made to go with units from a competitor even though I liked the Digital Ally units better. My concern was that Digital Ally units were not out in the field long enough for me to feel comfortable with their dependability.

After installing two of your competitors digital units and having nothing but problems with not only the unit but also the lack of customer service, I revisited the subject and re-evaluated the Digital Ally units.

In 2007 I made the decision to replace all seven (7) MVR units with Digital Ally units, including your competitor’s new units costing several thousand dollars more.

From end user to my Forensic Photography Specialists who are responsible for downloading and storing data to my Patrol Sergeants who review the recordings, everyone is pleased with not only the units being user friendly but also the software and the many features Digital Ally offers.

From my perspective, Digital Ally and Jim Coleman, my local Digital Ally Representative, truly understand customer service. With any new technology there is a learning curve and Digital Ally personnel and Jim Coleman have been very supportive and immediately address any question or concern that my staff has had.

I am very pleased with Digital Ally and would recommend them to anyone considering the purchase of mobile recording units for their patrol cars. If anyone reading this letter has any questions or would like additional information concerning the experiences I have had with Digital Ally, please feel free to contact me."

James Adams
Chief of Police
Upper Allen Township Police Department

"The Farmington Police Department only recently purchased digital cameras from Digital Ally, and we believe that we couldn't really be much happier. These cameras have been a huge hit with our officers. It seems to be one of the better equipment purchases we have made recently. I share your enthusiasm for quality video "in cars" and we are convinced we have made some wise purchases in these cameras.

And thanks for the sharing of your convictions of your product. Your priorities are certainly where they should be. Taking care of our officers with quality equipment is always the only choice for good police leaders."

Chief Jim Arringon
Farmington Police Department

“On Friday night, March 27, 2009…Perry County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher Rob Stallings contacted Chief Garver via radio to inquire if a particular street was in Thornville’s jurisdiction. He then indicated he has a male caller on 9-1-1 who is possibly in Thornville, and is likely having a heart attack, complaining of severe chest pain and difficulty breathing.

...Although the Perry County Sheriff’s Office was able to obtain the GPS coordinates via Fairfield County’s E911 system, the closest PCSO could pinpoint using their software was in the area of Zartman Road, which is approximately ½ mile away. A combination of the Digital Ally camera system and [a] thermal imager made locating the victim…possible.”

Sent by the Thornville Police Department
Read the entire news story here.

Laser Ally Handheld LIDAR Testimonials/Reviews

"I was given the opportunity to use the Laser Ally speed detection device for a few weeks at Cobb Police Precinct 4. I used the device in multiple roadway situations such as Interstate 75, 4 lane highway’s, and 2 lane roads. This device did exceptionally well in all situations. The Laser Ally resembled the Pro Laser III but with the kinks worked out.

The Laser Ally has multiple plus sides which are as follows:

• The Laser Ally is light weight and easy to hold up for long periods of time.
• The Laser Ally uses “C” size batteries and has a power indicator on the screen when battery power is too low.
• The batteries fit in their own housing and are stored in the hand grip of the device. The battery cap is reinforced to prevent over tightening and damage to the unit unlike the Pro Laser III.
• The scope on the Laser Ally is protected by a “roof” that connects to the main body of the device.
• The Laser Ally is water proof and is advertised as such.
• The Heads-Up Display is easy to view and the unit has a brightness function from low to high depending on what your situation is.
• The audible tone of the Laser Ally is among the best. When the device is actively searching a certain tone is used, once target is acquired a second and noticeably different tone is heard. If you move off of that target the tone changes letting the operator know they do not have a lock. The Laser Ally also allows the user to press the trigger and move from car to car, using the tones, in high traffic situations without having to constantly pull the trigger for every target. The Laser Ally will also show “Target Acquired” on the display when you get a laser lock.
• The volume control on the Laser Ally is easy to change and has dedicated buttons on the back for volume and the brightness control.
• The Laser Ally also has an obstruction mode that allows you to shoot past trees, mail boxes, telephone poles, etc. The unit was also able to be used through the closed windows in the vehicle.
• The Laser Ally has a battery saving feature for those times when the device is left on for an extended period of time.

• Although Laser Ally advertises to have a detection distance of 6000 ft, I found it difficult to get a target lock on vehicles beyond approximately 1500 ft. Side note: a HUD Scope is now available for easier long-distance targeting.
• The Laser Ally in service is difficult to locate in the menu setting if it is a first time user. D1 and D2 should be easier to locate if not have a dedicated button because it is required that the unit be placed in service and out of service by every officer.
• The Laser Ally unit that I demoed did not have a “stock” and I am unable to rate it accordingly.

Thermal Ally Handheld Imaging Camera Testimonials/Reviews

"I recently tested the Thermal Ally Mk II Camera by Digital Ally, a digital thermal imaging device designed to turn thermal emission into visible images. With the Thermal Ally camera, officers can see in total darkness or in environments that would otherwise obscure the imaging devices. The model I tested had the focus free 10mm lens, which has a wider field of view than the 20mm lens model. It is a monocular viewer with a diopter adjustment that can even accommodate my bad vision.

The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera is a handheld monocular, slightly larger than a full sized pair of binoculars (7” x 2.5” x 3.75”), weighing slightly more than one pound. The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera has only a few simple controls, which are placed so the user can wield it one-handed. I found that I could easily swap modes or snap pictures, intuitively, without swapping my hand position. It can capture what the user sees in the viewfinder, simply by pressing the capture button on the top of the unit. It comes with a padded pouch and sturdy straps which affix at its balance point.

The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera cannot be weapon-mounted, which is a deliberate feature. I like weapon-mounted stuff, but it is inappropriate to point a firearm at non threats. A thermal imaging camera is a device that measures levels of heat and translates these levels into an image. The technology uses a microbolometer detector, which is really more than you or I need to know about how it works. In night vision terms, microbolometer can render an image without the need to cool the device (early technology required that the unit used liquid nitrogen to stabilize temperature).When one turns it on, there is a rhythmic clicking sound where the image resets momentarily, but it is fairly quiet. This is called non-uniformity correction. It happens periodically to normalize the image. This freezes the image for a second or two.

Startup time is fewer than eight seconds and it seemed to take longer to shut down than startup.

I didn’t use the video streaming function, but this feature could be used to capture video from the camera into the mobile data computer, which is a handy feature for a crime scene walk through.

The most prominent control is the mode button, which changes the color palettes in the viewfinder. There are standard palettes: White Hot, Black Hot, and Greenbow. The user picks the palette that gives the best image contrast. Black hot seems to work best for me during the daytime, rainbow worked best at night. Interestingly, the Rainbow and Ironbow palettes — which are unique to the Mark II model — add so much depth and clarity that images look like color photos with weird spectrums. The Rainbow palette gives the best vie when there are only subtle variations in viewing temperature. Considering the size and price, the Thermal Ally Mk II Camera has reasonable clarity.

The other two buttons on the top of the unit are the power button and the capture button, which trips the camera shutter. The images are captured in BMP at 360x 212 pixels, which means that 500 images can be captured on the provided card. It takes a few seconds to write the image to the card so one must time the image capture if one is doing a search.

A thermal imaging device is considered better when the image rendered outweighs the noise in the image. This, by the way, is what one pays for. The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera 10mm lens model is good for viewing closer images, and provides good focus depth within the 1-50 yard range. The other area that is critical is reliability. My tests in temperature extremes and damp environments suggest that this product has this down.

Generally, the image is monochromatic, meaning the rendered image is transmitted into a relative scale. On most products, it is either “black hot” or “white hot”. Although some images from my Thermal Ally Ally Mk II looked like x ray images, they were simply heat energy that can get past opaque objects. For example, I looked at the outside of a building in near freezing temperatures one evening and was able to see the outlines of people (whom I didn’t know were there) who were close to the outside walls. The other thing I learned quickly was a thermal camera does not see through my insulated windows well, but my heat reflection in these windows startled me.

Mind you, this kind of device cannot “see” through walls, but if an officer experiments a bit, its use can be a serious advantage. This is most easily demonstrated by having someone walk barefoot across a carpet, then following the footprints. This can be done outside if the temperature of the shoe or foot varies a bit from the ambient temperature on an ideal surface. It’s not a tracking device and this only works during ideal circumstances, but it does illustrate a prominent use for a thermal device. If the suspect dumps a gun or the drugs, they can be found if they had it in their pocket or against their body. I was able to do this under dozens of circumstances and I can think of many times where this would have come in handy in the field. I’m pretty sure I could have found some of those bags I’ve seen tossed out the window in a pursuit.

For patrol use, its best employment is finding anomalies in a confusing background, like a camouflaged suspect or where someone recently touched a surface and may have left a print.

The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera was designed for use at the patrol level. Thermal Ally gave it finger grips and textured handholds, which add a little to its shock protection. It can withstand minor shocks and jars and is sealed for weather resistance. Since I tested this product in unusually disagreeable weather, it was fairly easy to test this quality. All of the ports have some weather sealing, including the rubber lens cap, video out and SD card slot, which are on opposite sides, where the palm rests.

The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera use 4 NiMH rechargeable AA cells. My unit came with a set of these cells and a 110v charger. Thermal Ally states that it gives approximately 3 hours of service using the rechargeable cells. I never could get it to exceed 3 hours of service. I have a lot of experience with rechargeable batteries however and these charged better and faster than most products I have used.

Compared to similar products, however, the Thermal Ally Mk II Camera is moderately conservative on power use.

A thermal imaging camera is a device that measures changes in temperature and turns it into a rendered image. Because they read heat, not light, users can see through things which will likely obscure other imaging devices. For example, an image intensifier type of night vision device can only process a dimly lit scene in to something the user can view. However, if the image is obscured by smoke or fog, smoke or fog is all the user will see. A thermal imaging camera will cut through obscurants and is not fooled by dark clothing. The user can also see in total darkness and, unlike other night vision devices, the Thermal Ally Ally Mk II Camera is useful in daylight.

The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera is a little too large for bouncing around in a cargo pocket, but there are several patrol scenarios where carrying one in a patrol car would be of great benefit. One can find or discreetly observe a suspect in total darkness. The “finding tossed evidence” feature makes it a “must have”. I found I could scan a scene and see who just drove their car without touching the hood.

The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera is a lightweight and handy way to find and capture evidence. It gives the patrol officer a little edge for searching and observation. It can highlight information or evidence missed by the officer scanning the crime scene using only the visual spectrum. The Thermal Ally Mk II Camera is another asset for the law enforcement arsenal."

Review by Lindsey Bertomen for PoliceOne
Lindsey Bertomen is a retired police officer and retired military small arms trainer. He teaches criminal justice at Hartnell College in Salinas, California. He has a BS in Criminal Justice and an MS in Online Teaching and Learning and has taught shooting techniques for over a decade.

Digital Video Flashlight Testimonials/Reviews

"This is an excellent tool for our battle against DWI drivers. The officer can walk right up to the car side and immediately begin recording all the actions of the driver. The officer can record the individual possibly fumbling for their driver's license, sound recordings of their slurred speech, if this person is using the car to steady themselves…if they step off line, if they lose their balance. They may not even know and they may think it's a regular flashlight, but again, it's a tool that we can use on the side of the road for DWI enforcement."

Officer John Francis
Rio Rancho Police Department

On April 27th, 2008, Deputy Jason Krause and a fellow officer in Milan, TN, pulled over a silver Mustang for a light law violation. After advising the driver that her tail light was broken and asking her for her ID and insurance card, however, the first officer noticed she was shaking. He asked her what was wrong and if she was nervous then also requested an ID from a male passenger.

While gathering the information as well as running warrant checks and driver’s license status, both officers noticed the passenger put items in the rear passenger area, including a clear plastic bag with a tied end. The first officer then obtained permission to search the vehicle and discovered a small amount of marijuana. The other officer also noticed the male passenger might have narcotics in his mouth, which they ordered him to spit out.

A struggle took place ending in a drive stun with a taser, but the contraband was never spit out and the suspect later died in custody. Because of this and the suspect being out of view from the in-car camera system, the officers came under close investigation. Thankfully, they were using Digital Ally’s Digital Video Flashlight.

Krause states, "The video flashlight definitely helped clear me when the TN Bureau of Investigations came to investigate the matter. It was clear we followed policy and that wrong doing was not done on our part. You can clearly see the suspect resist, chew evidence in his mouth, and later admit he swallowed evidence. This was a high profile case for Milan P.D. due to the fact that the suspect died in custody. The autopsy results that came out 3 months later showed he died of cocaine toxicity (16.2 ml) in his system.

I will never forget how this device saved not only myself and fellow officer that night, but the department as well. All levels of force were followed properly and the suspect was as guilty as sin due to the overwhelming evidence. The charges against the driver were heard and she was found guilty of the light law violation and the drug paraphernalia in her car. This could not have been possible without the use of the video.

The other officer clearly made a mistake by bringing the suspect to the rear of my unit to conduct further investigations, but the video flashlight clears us from any conspiracy theories due to us not dealing with the issues at hand in front of my unit’s camera system. Thank GOD for this device!!!

Out of my 14 years of law enforcement, I can’t hardly see a day I want to continue to do this job without this device. If it weren’t for it I would most likely have quite and given up hope that the good guys can actually win in this time and age when the criminals have all the laws in their favor.

Thanks again for all your help.”

Deputy Jason Krause
Milan Police Department

“A friend of the department, Ken McCoy, donated three of these digital flashlights for the detective division. They are extremely light weight and will be a valuable tool for us. We can digitally video record crime scenes, and the information can be downloaded onto a computer and be reviewed. We can also make a copy of the video to use in court. They are going to be a tremendous asset for us during our investigations. We haven’t had a video recorder the detectives used, and now we do. We are working hard to keep residents safe, protect their property from thieves and reduce crime in the county and we appreciate all the help...”

White County Sheriff Department

“...We are equally pleased at the performance of your flashlight video units. My officers now use them on all calls for services. They have found that in cases such as domestic violence calls and accident investigations, they are saving a tremendous amount of time in gathering evidence, and are capturing statements made by victims at the scene that have been invaluable in court. It has been beneficial in every type of investigation that we make.

I would like to end by saying thank you for your technological support that provides updates to the equipment. We have never felt with your company that we purchased something and was left to fend for ourselves or had to figure it out on our own. It means a lot to us to have direct corporate product communication if needed only a phone call away.

Please feel free to use me as a reference for any of your product line if needed. It is a pleasure to purchase equipment and have it work right out of the box to meet our needs.”

Kenneth R. Ketzler
Chief of Police
Decatur Police Department

More Testimonials & Reviews Coming Soon!