CCTV Nightmares: Chain of Custody Secrets from Scene to Courtroom

In “CCTV Nightmares: Chain of Custody Secrets from Scene to Courtroom”, you’ll join Lucy Carey-Shields (Forensic Analyst at Amped Software) and Blake Sawyer (US Operations Director at Amped Software) as they discuss real chain-of-custody pitfalls they’ve seen in the field: mismatched camera times across multiple locations, systems accidentally reformatted, footage lost after a “simple” time correction, and exports that quietly change the evidence.You’ll also get practical guidance on:Capturing the most forensically sound version (why proprietary exports matter)Starting continuity early with hashing and disciplined handling of USB-based collectionsAvoiding “quick conversions” that can drop frames or distort timingThe frontline checklist: stop and think, document everything, and do a time checkIf you collect, process, or present video evidence, this episode gives you a clear, field-tested mindset to protect integrity from scene to courtroom.Episode outline:00:12 - Official welcome + host intros (Lucy Carey-Shields and Blake Sawyer)02:41 - How they each got into video forensics04:45 - Blake’s “trial by fire” case: missing person investigation, large-scale CCTV collection, building a video workflow06:11 - Real-world chain-of-custody pitfalls from the field08:35 - Starting continuity at the scene: disciplined USB collections, hashing as a “digital fingerprint”, and clean handoff to storage/server10:52 - Handling digital evidence like physical evidence: don’t change data, document everything, be competent if changes are unavoidable (UK ACPO principles)13:16 - The pressure problem: modern casework data volumes and time constraints; why asking the right questions early matters13:57 - Cloud video (Ring/doorbells): consent vs legal process, exigent circumstances, and getting the “best” version (plus confirmation from the provider)17:04 - Why proprietary exports matter: least-altered version, stronger integrity, and downstream needs (court playback, public release without “video-of-video”)19:33 - The danger of “quick conversions” (e.g., FFmpeg): dropped frames, skipped data segments, lost timing; why forensic tools must preserve frame/time metadata21:58 - Testifying without “nerd talk”: translating technical video issues for humans/juries23:44 - Training & certification: LEVA vs IAI workflows, what gets tested, and why it changes how you approach analysis/reporting26:01 - Evidence retention and storage: CDs/tape/cloud tradeoffs, vendor lock-in risk, and long retention timelines29:09 - Frontline checklist (the “3 simple rules”)35:54 - Common agency mistakes: detective-managed files, cloud upload authenticity concerns, and the “one flash drive for every case” problem