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Home Welcome to PUMA Recorders! PUMA delivers a complete voice recording solution for law enforcement, from its #1 selling PUMA 3 digital voice recorder to it’s management software for managing audio recording. From Police and Sheriff Departments to individual officers, PUMA has become one of the most important tools an officer can carry and a very “reliable witness”. PUMA was first introduced in California to help increase the effectiveness of Law Enforcement by making a permanent recording of all incidents. The result is a higher rate of successful criminal prosecutions and a much lower rate of complaints and law suits against law enforcement agencies. Today, over 200 agencies nationwide use PUMA! Our Vision Our vision is to offer the most complete line of dictation and recording products and solutions with the highest degree of service to our customers who rely on the latest technology to meet the needs of today’s complex and fast-paced world. PUMA Recorders PUMA 3 - Digital Recorders for Law Enforcement The new PUMA 3 Digital Recorder has once again set the standard for portable audio recording products for law enforcement agencies. #1 Selling Digital Recorders for Law Enforcement PUMA Software PUMA Management Software PUMA Management Software is the right solution for Law Enforcement agencies that want to securely and efficiently manage their audio recordings and is the only audio recordings management software designed for law enforcement available today! PUMA Management Enterprise Edition PUMA Management DPM Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 Wolfcom 3rd Eye Wolfcom 3rd Eye Truly the first of it's kind, no other Police Body camera can do what this one can. With the ability to record in true HD 1080P, the Wolfcom 3rd Eye is the highest Recording quality body camera recorder in the market today. High Resolution Video Quality 1080P Full HD Color Video Recording up to 60 FPS PUMA Micro DVR PUMA Digital Video Recorders PUMA DVR is a small body worn digital video and audio recorder for law enforcement and is the latest addition to the PUMA line-up. Record Video and Audio Evidence Where Ever You Go User List Support Contact Us Contact Us Email a Question Request a Demo Service Service Request Shop Now On Line Store Versatile Information Products Inc. 3630 Park Sierra Dr. Riverside, CA 92505 800-794-4044 Monday - Friday \| 8AM - 5PM PST Fax # 951-352-4593 sgaskins@versatileinformation.com Find us on social networks Twitter Facebook Technorati

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Kelly Thomas: Police audio recording key to case

September 23, 2011 | Joel Rubin and Richard Winton

The one piece of evidence that sealed Orange County prosecutors' decision to charge a Fullerton police officer with second-degree murder in the death of homeless man Kelly Thomas came from the officer himself.

"See my fists?" Officer Manuel Ramos said to Thomas before the fatal encounter. "They are getting ready to ... you up."

Those words were captured on Ramos' audio recorder and proved that he was intent on hurting the defenseless Thomas, said District Atty. Tony Rackauckas.

It turned out to be the defining moment before the beating and led to the second-degree murder charge, Rackauckas said. Ramos is also accused of involuntary manslaughter and remained in custody in lieu of $1-million bail after his arraignment was postponed Wednesday. If convicted, he could face a life prison term. A second officer, Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, 39, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and using excessive force; Cicinelli faces a maximum prison term of four years. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $25,000 bail.

Fullerton is one of a growing number of police agencies around the country that requires officers to use audio or video devices to document their interactions with people. Although the technology most frequently helps exonerate officers accused of misconduct or provides evidence during a trial, police observers say, the Fullerton case is a somewhat rare and dramatic illustration of how officers' self-surveillance can serve as a powerful check on police.

"It can cut both ways," said Merrick Bobb, president of the Police Assessment Resource Center. "A recording allows the community and the department to see or hear what happened for themselves, instead of being forced to choose between believing the officer or the citizen. In departments that are trying to rebuild trust with the communities they serve, that can be a very effective tool."

Ramos, 37, turned on the department-issued digital recorder strapped to his equipment belt when he responded to a call of suspicious behavior at a bus depot shortly after 8:30 p.m. July 5. The department's policy calls for officers to activate their recorders, about the size of a deck of cards, almost anytime they engage someone while on duty. The policy has been in place for more than a decade, Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said.

Like many other police departments, Fullerton once installed video recorders in its patrol cars. Department officials, however, found the cameras too limited since they captured only encounters that occur in front of the vehicle, Goodrich said. Instead of continuing to invest in expensive in-car cameras, Fullerton police officials opted to switch to audio recorders that generally cost a few hundred dollars each.

Despite the limitations, many police departments have continued to use in-car video systems. After years of funding and technical delays, the Los Angeles Police Department is in the midst of a multiyear, $20-million plan to install cameras in all of its patrol cars. The LAPD does not require officers to carry audio recorders.

There are no definitive figures on the number of agencies with mandatory recording policies. There are several in California, including the cities of Irvine, Riverside and Sierra Madre. Puma, the company that manufactures the recorder used by Fullerton, lists about 200 law enforcement agencies as clients on its website.

-- Joel Rubin and Richard Winton

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