Most often, if and when you get pulled over by a police officer, you are probably not going to be in a very good mood, because chances are, that patrol car has an onboard camera.  The fact that you are the star of the show may not be much fun – you really don’t want to be known as a speedster, and you sure don’t want your friends to see you if you’ve had too much to drink!

Currently, there are more than 600 law enforcement motorcycle officers across the United States that are equipped with clip-on video cameras.  The clip-on video cameras are also being utilized by private security companies, firefighters, and insurance adjusters, as well as motorcycle police.  In Texas, 45 to 50 law enforcement agencies are using the Vievu cameras.

Law enforcement has come a long way…. They first wore voice recorders attached to their uniform shoulders, and later, video cameras were placed in patrol cars.  The price for this type of camera ranges from $699 to $899, and $500 for extra hard drive storage.  There’s one switch, no wires, and the camera holds up to four hours of video.  With an average traffic stop taking only 2 to 3 minutes, they easily have enough room for a 10-hour shift.  The video can then be downloaded from the camera to a computer.

Not knowing how people are going to react to a traffic stop, these cameras document how everyone behaves: the driver, as well as the officer.  The clip-on cameras are a great way to protect the motorist, city, and police officer.

So next time, you get pulled over by a motorcycle officer, smile, because you may just be on “Cops Camera”.  Drive safely, don’t text while driving, pay attention, and you might just avoid being a film star!