“They probably do the most interviews, and they say that they can do up to 40 a month,” notes Ms. Whittaker. “Other teams, such as licensing, can conduct several interviews a month. In contrast, other teams may only need the equipment a handful of times in a year.” 

With such varying usage patterns across departments, the cloud-based system offers the flexibility and reliability required to support all teams effectively whilst maintaining the strict compliance standards necessary for legal proceedings. 

Transforming Case Management Through Digital Innovation 

The implementation of Davidhorn’s digital interview recording system has significantly improved Trafford Council’s case management processes. “With case management, it’s a lot easier because you’ve actually got a place where you’ve got information stored, you’ve got the recording and any documents you need in the same place,” she explains. 

However, the most substantial benefit has been the ability to share recordings securely. “The biggest benefit that we’re seeing compared with our previous equipment is the ability to share,” Ms. Whittaker emphasises. “Previously, this was a real issue for us.” 

The council faced considerable challenges with their former CD-based system, particularly when responding to requests for interview copies. “Our IT team did not like us copying CDs because if somebody requested a copy of the interview, we would then have to try to find a way to copy the CD. And of course, they don’t let you plug anything into the network for data security.” 

This limitation created significant obstacles in their workflow, which have now been eliminated. “It’s just removed that hassle now that actually there’s that button there that we can share it. And it’s fully audit trail.” 

Cost and Time Savings Through Automated Transcription 

The built-in transcription functionality offers substantial benefits for the council’s stretched resources. “Officers don’t have the time to transcribe their own interviews, so we then would have to go out and pay an external company to transcribe it, which, when finances are always being squeezed in the Council, it’s another benefit.” 

By bringing transcription in-house through an automated system, Trafford Council can redirect financial resources to other critical services while reducing the administrative burden on their officers. 

Navigating Implementation Challenges 

The transition to the digital system was not without its challenges. The implementation process required close collaboration with the council’s IT department to address technical hurdles such as firewall configurations. 

Another challenge was ensuring officers felt confident using the new system, particularly given the critical nature of PACE interviews. “I think there’s always going to be a nervousness, especially with a PACE interview, you don’t get to do it again if it goes wrong. That’s your one opportunity as an officer to get evidence that you can use in a court case if needed.” 

However, these initial concerns have diminished as teams have become more familiar with the equipment. “The more that they have played around with it and started to use it, they’ve realised that it’s just so easy to use.” 

Looking to the Future 

As Trafford Council continues to embrace digital solutions, the Davidhorn recording system is playing a vital role in modernising its regulatory services. The council is now exploring additional functionalities, such as the visual recording capability, which represents a significant advancement from their previous audio-only system. 

“Our IT team has loads of digital projects going on, so moving to a cloud-based system means they don’t have to be concerned with the storage and management of the data in this cloud-based solution,” Ms. Whittaker notes, highlighting the importance placed on these essential public protection services. 

The transition to cloud-based interview recording exemplifies Trafford Council’s commitment to digital transformation, improving efficiency, and maintaining the highest standards in their regulatory functions despite the challenges of limited resources and competing priorities. 

Support from Davidhorn

Throughout the implementation, Davidhorn provided ongoing support to address the unique needs of the police force. Regular weekly meetings allowed the project team to discuss any challenges, adapt the system’s interface, and fine-tune metadata entry processes. Sgt Moorhouse noted, “If there was a problem, we would just contact the customer support, and we would get help straight away.” This close collaboration helped ensure the system was tailored to the force’s requirements and made the transition to digital recording as seamless as possible.

How the new devices are making a difference

The Davidhorn devices have brought substantial improvements in efficiency and ease of use, allowing officers to focus more on frontline duties. One key benefit is the reduced setup and close-down time for interviews. Sgt Ant Moorhouse observed, “Inputting metadata on that screen takes about 30 seconds, whereas on the old system it could take several minutes.” These small-time savings accumulate quickly, especially considering the high number of interviews conducted each and every day.

Another major advancement is the portable recording kits, which provide critical flexibility in unique scenarios. For example, our Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) have used a portable kit to conduct an interview abroad. The team was able to record and immediately review the footage remotely, something that would have been impossible with their previous equipment. “The portable has been a real game changer with high-quality audio and video” Sgt Moorhouse explained.

The new system has also improved the quality of audio recordings, which is crucial for i.e. interviews involving interpreters. Previously, poor audio quality had led to complaints from judges and solicitors in court, but with Davidhorn’s devices, the sound quality is much clearer, even during phone-based interpretation. “The sound quality is a lot better on the Davidhorn equipment,” Sgt Moorhouse noted, meaning recordings are now dependable and suitable for court proceedings.

Furthermore, Davidhorn’s secure sharing link has simplified the process of sharing interview recordings with solicitors and other forces, eliminating the need for DVDs and reducing the risk of data breaches. “We use the sharing link for everything… it’s a win on time, but it’s also a win in terms of risk management,” Sgt Ant Moorhouse said.

Looking towards the future

With the implementation complete, Sgt Moorhouse is optimistic about the future potential of Davidhorn’s solutions. He sees advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) as a promising next step, particularly around automated redaction, statement-taking and transcription. Additionally, the feedback from officers has been overwhelmingly positive. “The kit in the stations is just so easy to use… they absolutely love its ease of use,” Sgt Moorhouse shared, adding that – last but not least – the compact design frees up valuable desk space in interview rooms.

As Devon & Cornwall Police, and Dorset Police continue to embrace digital transformation, Davidhorn’s technology is set to support them in overcoming geographic and logistical challenges, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and ultimately providing a higher standard of service to their communities.

Searching for safer and more effective way to operate

Prior to adopting Davidhorn’s solution, the Icelandic police encountered significant hurdles in recording interview management. Sharing these interviews across departments or districts meant relying on CDs, which not only generated high costs but also were susceptible to errors, damage, and loss. The police districts, eager to save money and improve security and efficiency, were looking for a solution that would allow them to share recordings in a safer and more effective way, providing easy access and distribution to those who needed it.

The solution was first introduced in 2015, and by 2018-2019, Icelandic police had made significant strides in combining their various systems. The evolution of Iceland’s police IT infrastructure came from 27 separate police districts operating as independent islands to a centralised system.  

Streamlined approach

This streamlined approach to handle and share interviews provided enhanced access control and logging features, making it easier for the administrators to monitor who had access to specific recordings. Davidhorn assisted the team with training throughout the implementation process. Davidhorn held lectures in Iceland, training 30 individuals in 2016. This educational support ensured that Icelandic police could make the most of the technology. 

Interview recording technology has become an essential tool for Icelandic police, now a mandated practice by the general prosecution for serious cases. According to these regulations, all witness and suspect interviews in significant cases must be video-recorded, underscoring the technology’s critical role in modern law enforcement. 

Global attention

Icelandic police’s innovative approach attracted attention from other countries and even leading tech companies like Microsoft. The Seattle-based corporation visited Iceland to learn more about their solutions and how they used Microsoft products. They were also involved in developing a mobile app for Icelandic police cars.  

With Davidhorn’s solution, Icelandic police have significantly improved the way they handle recording of investigative interviews, making their operations more efficient, secure, and user-friendly. 

Central to this new approach was a major shift in interviewing techniques. Recording interviews and employing investigative interviewing methodologies have been game-changers, reducing the number of times victims have to recount their trauma.

Their pursuit of technological solutions led the police of Schleswig-Holstein to Davidhorn in 2010. The challenge? Finding a technical way of documenting court-proof interviews in order to prevent multiple interviews by the police.

This transformation wasn’t initially triggered by a change in law or official directive. Instead, it was the result of individuals within the police force driven by passion, determination, and a desire to prioritise the victim’s perspective. Inspired by the Danish police and their practices, they wanted to bring the same standards to Schleswig-Holstein, especially in handling sexual crimes. The goal? Modify the workflows to give investigations the most effective start. A good initial interview is the key to subsequent investigations and measures.

The collaboration with Davidhorn started with just three test recording sets. This number has increased over the years and is now available for all sex crime teams in the 26 criminal police departments in Schleswig-Holstein.

A legal change in 2019, affecting interviewing protocols for suspected juveniles and suspects in homicide cases, led to expanding of the system and the acquisition of more interview kits. Now, Schleswig-Holstein boasts around 60 of these tools. For the team that primarily works with sexual crimes, portable solutions have proven invaluable.

However, the Schleswig-Holstein police envisions the future with a centralized server solution that could eliminate the need to send interview CDs across the country – a process that is both time-consuming and prone to errors. These tech solutions could save time and human resources in the future by offering an automatic transcription function “Speech to Text” and AI-supported summaries of interviews.

Shaping the new paradigm: victim-centric workflows

The new approach is anchored in a pivotal first step: conducting a well-documented interview. The intent? To make a video interview available to those involved in the process, which saves the victim from having to be interviewed again in court so that they don’t have to relive the trauma. A practice that since 2019 has been a legal requirement in Germany.

The practice proved that such an interview, which avoids a main hearing, makes sense at the end of the police measures when all facts are determined and established. Recorded initial police interviews are therefore still being carried out.

In this respect, Schleswig-Holstein stands out. With approximately 1,200 interviews conducted annually, it is ahead of the curve compared to some other regions.

In addition to altering their interviewing practices, the team in Schleswig-Holstein has also compiled a handbook of best practices for investigative interviews involving victims of sexual crimes. This resource serves as an invaluable tool for all colleagues within the region who work with these types of cases.

This handbook has become something of an “internal law” within the police force, and its influence extends beyond Schleswig-Holstein. In the past, it was shared with the police in Slovenia, Hamburg, Berlin/Brandenburg and Lower Saxony, among others.

The task force driving these best practices for dealing with victims of sexual crimes consists of just seven people: an officer from the police academy, two female prosecutors, three female investigators, and a press secretary who has previously worked with sex crime cases. They are the “guardians” of these standards across all of Schleswig-Holstein.

Conscious and sensitive treatment of victims is at the core of their mission, emphasizing the importance of recording interviews as early as possible in the process. This prompt action, when someone comes to the police to report a sexual crime, minimizes the need for the victim to repeatedly relive their trauma by retelling their experiences.

Shaping the new paradigm: victim-pioneering practices: Schleswig-Holstein’s progressive approach

Schleswig-Holstein has truly pioneered the shift towards this new mindset. The game-changer was planning a coordinated effort with all litigants to introduce recorded interviews into trials. Without their consent, the endeavor wouldn’t have stood a chance. It’s been a journey hand in hand with attorneys, prosecutors and judges, fostering an environment in which they too saw the benefits of this more compassionate approach.

Specifically in the domain of sexual crimes, the region employs specially trained officers. Out of 26 departments in Schleswig-Holstein, around 85 officers have specialized training in sexual crimes. The majority of these officers devote their work exclusively to such cases.

Even before 2019, judges in Schleswig-Holstein began incorporating recorded interviews into their proceedings, even without a legal obligation to do so. However, since 2019, it’s become a legal requirement.

Notably, the opening of the first “Childhood-House” in Flensburg (German only) now follows the efforts to protect the Schleswig-Holstein victims and vulnerable witnesses. This institution, inspired by the Swedish “Barnahus” project, serves as a benchmark for the rest of the country. Ambitious plans are afoot to expand and introduce more of suchcenters in Itzehoe, Lübeck, and Kiel.

Envisioning change: towards unified and secure data sovereignty

The German judicial system, consisting of the police, public prosecutors, lawyers and courts, works a little differently than in other countries. One significant factor is the question of who retains ownership of the case documents. Uwe Keller, a former officer from Schleswig-Holstein who worked on implementing these systems, considers a server solution – where data is stored locally within the area of responsibility of the public prosecutor’s office – to be a good fit for their needs. He emphasises that this solution ensures complete data sovereignty for both interviews and metadata.

In Germany, there’s a legal framework called the “Criminal Procedure Code” (StPO), which regulates how the police, public prosecutors, lawyers and judges should work together. A newly introduced paragraph, §58a StPO, specifically addresses the recording of investigative interviews. Davidhorn’s solutions fully respect these legal requirements and provide easy-to-use tools that ensure an accurate representation of events.

Roughly 15-20 years ago, implementing these changes was not an easy task. But now, with the invaluable lessons learned from previous efforts, the pace of change is accelerating. The simplification of data management will make the workflow simpler and safer for both institutions and victims.

Davidhorn: a valuable ally in revolutionising police work

From the lens of a victim, the Schleswig-Holstein police endeavored to forge better evidence and develop a superior process. Technological hurdles were of course part of the equation but were managed brilliantly by the parties involved. Together with Davidhorn they had to consider what specific requirements needed to be met and how the best tools could be used to address those requirements.

Davidhorn was a key partner in this process. The collaboration started with just three test sets and has expanded over time to include all sexual crime teams in Schleswig-Holstein. Their solutions help to ensure that victims of sexual offenses are treated appropriately and with care.

Still, it’s crucial to remember that even the most advanced technology can only play a supportive role in investigative interviews. The key lies in adopting the right mindset, process, and procedures. Luckily, Davidhorn also provides the appropriate solutions in this regard. Police officers are the first point of contact, but if they’re unsure how to react, no progress can be made. They need to know how to respond effectively and appropriately – another area where Davidhorn’s expertise comes into play.

The combination of dedicated civil servants, specialised prosecutors and attorneys, cooperative judges and innovative technological solutions has certainly put Schleswig-Holstein at the forefront of victim protection in Germany. This progressive approach has the potential to be adapted and further developed throughout Germany in order to improve support for victims of sexual offenses and to make the judicial system more transparent and fairer overall.

Written by: Marta Hopfer-Gilles 

(Chat GPT was used while creating this blog) 

Installation best practices

Redfish Technologies has through their client collaboration and design/installation work gained extensive experience regarding the specific requirements of a wide range of different interview settings. From our experience, partners which are working as closely with customers as Redfish Technologies do, have developed best practices on capturing high-quality evidence. This is particularly important when it comes to installation of interview suites for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses which can help reduce the trauma often relived when a witness is going through investigations and court hearings. Achieving best evidence (ABE) when recording investigative interviews is therefore essential and can only be consistently gained when interview suites are carefully planned and installed with this objective in mind.

Collaborative successes

Partnering with law enforcement

Our joint ventures have notably made an impact in Australian law enforcement. One such example was the collaboration with an Australian police force where Redfish Technologies successfully installed 120 interview recorders with associated audio-visual support technologies alongside our digital evidence management solution.

Comprehensive offerings

These projects provided an all-encompassing approach that included fixed installations for suspect and ABE suites with focus on the specific requirements of CAIT teams. The provision also included portable recorders, mobile apps, and a centralised server solution to manage all the collected evidence seamlessly.

Conclusion

Our partnership with Redfish Technologies is a testament to the great work they do in technical and AV realms. It is an honor for us that they have chosen to deliver our state-of-the-art recording solutions to Australian law enforcement agencies. We are confident that together, we will continue to make strides in the industry, ensuring the highest quality of evidence collection and management for years to come.

We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration and providing top-notch solutions for capturing and managing crucial evidence in diverse settings. Thank you, Redfish Technologies, for being more than just a vendor—a true partner in justice.