Using Redaction Assistant

Redaction Assistant automatically detects and masks common objects such as heads, license plates, non-phone screens (MDTs, MDCs, computer monitors, television screens). This feature is an Axon Redaction Studio add-on, and might not be available in all agencies.

Watch this video to learn how to use Redaction Assistant.

Guided Redaction Assistant process

  1. Select the piece of video evidence you wish to redact.
  2. Select the Redactionstab to launch Redaction Studio within your browser window.
  3. Choose a Redaction Assistant process for your video by selecting Start next to one of the following options:
    • Notebooks: This process checks the video for physical notebooks or notepads that an officer might write in while at a scene. This also includes things like vehicle registration or other paper items.
    • Screens: This process checks the video for non-phone screens and adds masks to cover the screens.
    • Cellphones: This process checks the video for cellphone screens that are on (illuminated) and adds masks to cover the screens.
    • License Plates: This process checks the video for vehicle license plates and adds masks to cover the plate.
    • Heads: This process checks the video for heads and adds masks to cover the heads, and then provides users with the option to choose which individual heads to redact.
    • ID Cards: This process checks the video for things like drivers licenses and passports and adds masks to cover the objects.
      Note

      Redaction Assistant starts scanning and processing the video once a user selects Start.

  4. Monitor the progress bar to track the status of the redaction.
    While Redaction Assistant is processing, you can:
    • Continue redaction work on the video.
    • Adjust Redaction Assistant masks.
    • Begin new redaction tasks.
    • Exit Redaction Studio and Redaction Assistant will continue to scan and process the video.
  5. Once the scanning process is completed, masks will be orange when selected on the video or segment timeline. Watch the entire video to verify that masks were added to all the appropriate objects.
    redacted face on a video file

    Note

    The redaction behavior of masks is determined by the Redaction Assistant settings. To include or exclude an object from redaction, check or uncheck the Redact box. For more information on configuring these settings, see Redaction Assistant Settings.

  6. Select and then review each mask in the segment timeline or Redacted Objects tab. While reviewing the masks, you can:

    • Adjust the position or size of the mask as needed.
    • Change the blur level.
    • Delete a mask by selecting the Delete button, or delete all masks of a certain type by selecting X on the corresponding process bar.
    • Adjust the start and end times for the duration the mask appears.
    • Use Spray Paint Redaction masks to extend segments with finer control. Select and hold on the mask during video playback at normal, half speed, or rewind, and then use your mouse to follow the object you wish to redact.
  7. Once you have reviewed and edited the Redaction Assistant masks and added any of your own masks, extract the video.

Redaction Assistant processes up to 15 masks for faces at a time. If more than 15 faces are detected, the first 15 are processed and the remaining masks are placed in a queue to wait their turn. If it appears that Redaction Assistant isn’t processing all face masks, wait for processing to complete for all the selected objects before adding your own masks.

Bulk redaction

Bulk Redaction shows all identified faces in a thumbnail view so you can see all results on a single screen, allowing you to quickly select which faces to redact throughout an entire video.

  1. Search for the evidence files you wish to include in the bulk redaction.
  2. Select the checkbox next to each file you want to redact.
  3. Select Evidence Actions on the action bar, and then select Redact. The Create Bulk Request pane opens.
  4. Enter a Title and Description for the bulk redaction.
  5. Choose which objects to detect and redact. Choose from:
    • Notebooks
    • Screens
    • Mobile devices
    • License plates
    • Heads
    • ID documents
  6. Select View Settings to set the redaction options and blur level for each object type.
  7. Select Create and Run.
  8. In the confirmation window, select View Request to view the Redaction Assistant status.
  9. Select Redact next to each item to open it in Redaction Studio.

Redaction Assistant settings

The Redaction Assistant settings allow you to configure your own default settings for Redaction Assistant masks. These settings can be changed before starting Redaction Assistant, during the review process, or after finishing the redaction, offering both flexibility and efficiency.

  1. Select Settings in Redaction Studio.
  2. Define the default behavior of the Redact checkboxes for Redaction Assistant masks:
    • For videos where most faces should be blurred, but a few shouldn’t, adjust the settings to Redact All. This way, all face masks have the Redact checkbox selected by default, and you only need to clear the ones you wish to exclude. If a video requires blurring only some faces, set the default so the mask’s Redact checkbox remains unselected. This allows you to manually select specific faces for redaction.
  3. Adjust the blur intensity for each redaction process:
    • Once set, this blur level is applied to all subsequent Redaction Assistant masks until changed.