Not worth it using cameras

CCTVCam

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I'm sure you can elaborate without giving your identity away or too much detail. Without it there's little point in posting a story that's not a story.

The fact SWAT were involved makes me believe it was probably gun or drug related.

Cameras are always a double edged sword. As for footage, why anyone would keep 6 years is beyond me as is how you could afford the storage to store it. I'm 1/2 way between believing you and thinking this is someone baiting the forum.

Most commercial premises, at least in the UK, retain between 2 weeks to 1 month before overwriting. Usually, if you haven't realised there's been a crime within 4 weeks, you're probably not going to notice it. If you wanted to be really anal about it you could extend it to a couple of months, but as you appear to have found, the longer you retain data, the more chance there is of it containing something you don't want it to contain. The other answer is to stay the right side of the law, although everyone breaks some minor law at some point.

Finally, whereas I wouldn't encourage you to delete footage agencies have requested as that would be a serious crime in itself, if you want to get permanently rid of non requested old footage beyond overwriting then a Government standard secure erase utility can be used to permamently delete footage on HD's or on SSD's you can reset the drive (erasers don't work on SSD's), although then you lose the whole drive and not just selected files. The former also wears your drive quicker as it overwrites the areas selected or the whole drive multiple times reducing it's lifespan with every use. For most people though simply setting video recording to loop with enough storage to make it overwrite itself every 2-4 weeks is sufficient. The data will still be there but it will become less and less retreivable with every overwrite.
 
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My son is autistic and very DD, he requires special support. His room, particularly bed was on constant watch. He's a good natured kid most of the time.... Opinions differ widely, suffice it to say on how best handle those other times. That's too much even to say perhaps

My life is in tatters, and its directly jeopardized a friend. I lost kids wife, home, and facing charges. Due to be booked tommorow. Not all cameras fault. But be careful, you do not OWN your footage.
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Dude... Lawyer up.

Your thinking here is 100% ass backwards--- that footage is going to SAVE your ass. A good lawyer will show that, and identify experts to testify that your actions were measured and appropriate to the situation. I have friends with an autistic child who had violent outbursts and had a thing for knives--- they HAD to physically restrain him often to protect him from himself, and at times, other family members from him. VERY TOUGH situation. If there had been cameras--- and clips were taken fully out of context, it would definitely have looked bad for them-- and they are the most loving people I know.... (their son is now 16 or 17, wears a size 15 shoe-- and is MASSIVE)

In my other post, I asked the question about what you could do. This is more about what your lawyer can do-- and your 4th & 5th amendment rights entitle you to all of your own footage. Of course-- they get it too, but that doesn't mean you don't-- it IS yours.
 

CCTVCam

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Some times to fix a problem, you just need to hit it with a large hammer. :)

Good start with the new windows and bi install. I would suggest keeping a written log of all your changes. I mean every thing.in the log, keep tract of the memory and CPU utilization along with the changes. Do a reboot of the system regularly, this will force all the changes to take effect.
Geeezzz! Didn't you guys read what he posted in #12?

NO SWAT.

It's not that he did not want to provide video.

Sounds like he is being charged with child abuse for how he handled his autistic child when the child was combative. The police had a search warrant and took his hardware to be used as evidence against him.
Missed that part. In which case SDkid's advice is good. If you have done nothing wrong, the evidence should prove it.

Also, I stand by my advice after the fact. General Data should be retained for 2-4 weeks max except if it's a clip showing something you need for evidential purposes. Apart from the storage considerations and cost, the more data the greater risk becomes to yourself of you having captured yourself breaking the law in some way.
 

Kendive

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May not ever use a camera again! They can get you into serious fucking trouble. Remember anything you own becomes property of police at thier will if it aids them. Nothing I did wrong but I'm short several thousand $ of eat.
Total BS
 

Matt L.

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It sounds like you are in a situation but what you wrote is all too cryptic for me.
I am. It's scary as hell losing everything you know all at once. I can't think coherently. I'll have cameras again, but safeguard it against hijacking with means... Ideas? Encrypt it?
 

spammenotinoz

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I am. It's scary as hell losing everything you know all at once. I can't think coherently. I'll have cameras again, but safeguard it against hijacking with means... Ideas? Encrypt it?
For BlueIris locally, then Windows Bit Locker (have to ensure the PC doesn't auto login and have secure passwords ect.
This is an interesting post, I have always sent sub-streams (motion events only) directly to the cloud (always have and never deleted anything, due to unlimited storage). Always like the idea of off-site backups.
But the reality is, I would likely never use the footage, and anything I needed would be in 1-2weeks of an event and come from either BI or the SD Cards in the cams.

I have always valued off-site storage, but may re-think the approach as I am sure one day there will be footage that I would be embarrassed to get out.
If they don't charge you then,you should get your gear back. However I certainly do feel for you regardless of the outcome.
 

looney2ns

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This is tough with an autistic child involved. I know someone that was put through hell with the courts, due to his ex wife being vindictive and making false allegations to the police about how he treated his autistic child. In the end he, was vindicated.
Find a good counselor to help you through this.
 

Matt L.

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Yeah. It's harder since I'm depressed. Also this thread may be null and void, detective says the forensic lab can't get any data off the computer. Oh well. It's fair time to give it back then!
 
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Yeah. It's harder since I'm depressed. Also this thread may be null and void, detective says the forensic lab can't get any data off the computer. Oh well. It's fair time to give it back then!
Or-- maybe the realized the uphill battle they would have? Perhaps a prosecutor looked at this and considered the circumstances and realized it was a no-win scenario politically. They all want to save face-- so saying they couldn't do anything with the data due to technical issues is a great cop-out, so to speak.
 

spammenotinoz

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Or-- maybe the realized the uphill battle they would have? Perhaps a prosecutor looked at this and considered the circumstances and realized it was a no-win scenario politically. They all want to save face-- so saying they couldn't do anything with the data due to technical issues is a great cop-out, so to speak.
Agree this is most likely. Imagine the COST of going through 6 years of footage, with no guarantee of finding something. Not trivialising the issue, but if this was a major terrorist incident or something then yes, but for this. They would have realised qucikly their resources are best spent elsewhere and this is a no win for them. Also depending on the jurisdiction there can be numerous requirements for the footage to be admissible in court. Usually footage is provided to "assist" in identification or back up a "first hand witness" claim. To be actually used in court it has to have been obtained legally and with all the correct paperwork. If they realised they forgot a form, didn't get the correct warrant ect.. then in many jurisdictions they couldn't use the footage in court anyway.
I hope you get your gear back soon. And lastly this is where it gets interesting for Software NVR users (eg: BlueIris), they have to provide the footage was not edited, it was raw. Yes this is the case with BlueIris (BVR), but not AVI, and even with BVR proving no other software on the computer modified the footage is next to impossible. With a dedicated NVR this is still an issue to provide, but not to the same extent. This is usually overcome by asking the CCTV\NVR operator to sign an "affidavid", but in this use case they would NOT have even bothered to ask you for that.
Imagine, Sir, please sign this "AFFIDAVID" to confirm the CCTV footage is unaltered and genuine so we can prosecute you..... They gathered what your response may be.

Or could be as simple as they see your child acting out, and think your response is reasonable, but it's not something they could publicly endorse. They need to consider how will the judge and jury respond to viewing 6 years of footage of your child acting out. Because lets face it, your legal team are going to show every tantrum and event to make your child appear, as bad as possible. That would be terrible for your entire family not to mention your child. This is a no win, but potentially here CCTV may have saved you.
 
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Old Timer

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Yeah. It's harder since I'm depressed. Also this thread may be null and void, detective says the forensic lab can't get any data off the computer. Oh well. It's fair time to give it back then!
Good possibility it would have helped you more then them, so they don't want you to have it back.
Dealing with that takes a very dedicated parent, my hat is off to you. Good luck.
 
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