Need Recommendation: Dash Cam to Record Police Encounters

[AndroAsc]

This seems like a unicorn, and yes it's a very important function. I'm more concerned about recording police encounters than the actual accident, and most dash cams don't seem to be setup for this. Why? Basically I'm looking for a dash cam or a device that:

Primary MUST have function would be:
1) Most importantly, is able to record rearview (i.e. me and surrounding environments) when the car engines are off. Preferably, this is triggered manually, like when I am pulled over. Records both video and audio.

Other secondary functions would be:
2) Normal dash cam usage to record frontview for accidents

Good to have:
3) If it's already recording rearview, having it display on a screen would be nice as well, sort of like a backup camera inside the car.

Does such a device exist? I've seen some dual video (front and back) dash cams, but those seems to require the car engine to be running for it to work. This is a terrible design, as you need the camera working when the car engine is not on!!!

 

[Nigel]

Viofo A129 with infrared interior camera pointing towards the drivers window, with that you can see the police officer even in the dark.

Most dashcams don't need the engine to be running, they just need power, they only turn off when you turn the engine off if you connect them to power that turns off when the engine isn't running. The question is, when do you want them to stop recording? When you remove the key?

 

[kamkar]

Dashcams with 2 cameras cant be used well as a reversing camera.
First of all they don't have a screen triggered by when you put car in reverse so you would have to keep the screen on all the time ( which might be illegal )
Also the cameras that do have a screen, well its just 2" or so so useless for reversing, and also with camera installed in the optimal place ( in front of mirror you most often cant see the screen )
Some do have a AV out you can connect to a larger screen more suitable to reversing, but also dashcams don't have any form of guide / distance markers in the footage.
Again you run into a screen with video on it running while driving ( not legal in Denmark at least ), or that you have to turn on yourself which pretty much mean it is more easy to turn your head and reverse like people have been doing for 100 years.
Also reversing cameras cover the space right behind the car, where dashcams are more focused on what go on a little further back, but a car like mine with a totally flat rear end you can get off using a dashcam for reverse if you can solve the screen & feed toggle issue, and make do without guide / distance markers.

So for a "evil cop" setup you would be best off with one of the few dual channel dashcams that offer the rear camera with IR light to aid you at night, and also with such a camera you can point it towards yourself in the driver seat.
My cheap B1W cabin cam cover me fine in the daytime not good at night, and it is not wide angle enough to have the driver side window in frame too. ( mounted on mirror stalk )

But i don't need it as i have dedicated side cameras in the rear doors ( on B pillar R side and headliner behind B pillar L side ) you can only see the one as my fat head are in the way in the video above.

But we don't really have bad cops here, just understaffed and overworked cops, but that's not their fault so i don't fear anything from them.
A long time ago i did a recording with a camera installed on the R hand side sunshade aimed at me in the driver seat, this much better for evil cop encounters, just lag IR support that wasent around back then.

Other camera angles from my car.

If you place a camera down low on the windscreen the FOV and distance mean you can get side window coverage, but again in this experiment no IR support on the camera so worthless in dark situations.

 

[SawMaster]

Many cams use a "ball joint" type mount, which can be turned by hand to face in any direction. If I were hugely concerned with any interactions happening at my car window I'd have one of these in operation. As I do some cam testing and reviews, I have such a mount in place now but it's not currently in use. Probably best to turn it immediately when you stop, as the Police in the US don't like for you to have your hands moving or not visible when they approach to interact with you. I do have 4 outward facing cams, and my side cams will capture some of what happens at my windows now, but only at a couple feet away from the door or more. Anything closer will probably not show a lot of that person standing there. I currently use a "taxi cam" which does have a dedicated and aimable inside cam built into it along with IR illumination so it works in total darkness too, but where it is aimed captures nothing at my doors.

Sad to say, but some of the Cops here are rather stupid, immoral, on a power trip, or any combination of these nefarious 'qualities'. By simply remaining calm, reasonably polite, and non-confrontational I've not ever had any problems which I feel would not be readily handled well by my current cams. In any encounter, the best use of your videos will be after an event in a Court proceeding where there are people present who can protect you from Police abuses. That is also where any responses you may have to their actions are best dealt with. There is nothing to be gained by being argumentative or uncooperative on the scene, which can only cause an already bad situation to become worse. Just do as they tell you to and deal with them later where you and your recordings can have the upper hand and show any excesses they do clearly and without question. That turns the bad situation into a good one for you, and places the problem squarely on the shoulders of a bad Cop instead, which is the best "win" you can get out of it.

Phil

 

[catchthecarp]

Opia 1 and 2 rotates 360° and swivels - ball joint mount as SawMaster mentioned. It has motion detection parking mode for when the car is off. The downside, not very stealthy. If you get pulled over shut off the engine, turn on the accessory power and aim the camera where you want it.