The chief of the Norwalk Police Department says the cameras use AI technology which is already making interactions safer and smoother.
When Norwalk police responded to a vandalism complaint, in the past, the language barrier they were met with would have required calling a Spanish-speaking officer to the scene, but now the department has AI.
"It's the same camera. So, all we had to do was download this new program into it," said Norwalk Police Department Chief James Walsh. "We started it a month ago. So far it's been a huge success."
The software provides real-time translation of 56 different languages.
Officers can tell the device which language to interpret or simply let it auto-detect. It's an invaluable tool in a diverse city like Norwalk.
"We've had a great reception from the city," Chief Walsh said. "It's not only that when the kids see it, when teenagers see it is wow, the police are actually having, you know, outreach and they're trying to communicate. They're doing everything they can to provide services."
Body-worn cameras have been standard equipment for over a decade, providing a visual record of what are often dangerous encounters between police and the public.
While not every interaction is a matter of life and death, seconds always count, and unlike a translation app, the recording is preserved seamlessly with other body-camera evidence.
The upgrade will cost the department $82,000 a year.
"But we felt that fee was well worth the service it has provided," Chief Walsh said.
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