The StarWitness team recently returned from the National Technical Investigators’ Association (NATIA) Conference, where we had the opportunity to connect with investigators, technology professionals, and public safety leaders from across the country while showcasing the latest advancements in the StarWitness product family.
Representing StarWitness at NATIA were Sam Burgiss, Romina Quiroga, Moises Vallejo, and Sam Messick, who demonstrated our proven investigative solutions, including the StarWitness Interview Room Recording System and the StarWitness Field Interviewer, while previewing new capabilities designed to help agencies work faster, smarter, and more securely. These capabilities are designed with the same philosophy that guides all StarWitness products: provide investigators with reliable technology that works where they work—whether inside an interview room, in the field, or in environments where connectivity is limited or unavailable.
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StarWitness Automated Transcription transforms recorded interviews into searchable, timestamped transcripts within minutes—directly inside the StarWitness software agencies already use.
Unlike cloud-based transcription services, StarWitness Automated Transcription operates on-device, requiring:

• No internet connection
• No cloud uploads
• No recurring per-transcription fees

The transcript remains securely connected to the original case file, preserving important investigative details such as:

• Interview date and time
• Location
• Participants
• Case identifiers
• Other relevant metadata

Investigators can quickly search interview content, locate critical statements, and review conversations more efficiently. With document-ready formatting, transcripts can be exported in a structured format for investigative review, case preparation, and inclusion in supporting documentation.
By combining secure recording with intelligent transcription, StarWitness helps agencies reduce administrative workload while maintaining control of their evidence.

StarWitness also demonstrated TRACER, a portable license plate recognition solution designed for situations where permanent camera installations are impractical or unnecessary.
TRACER brings real-time plate recognition capabilities to rapidly changing operational environments, deploying in minutes on a fully self-contained Android platform. Investigators receive alerts directly on their mobile devices, allowing them to respond quickly when vehicles of interest are identified.
Key capabilities include:

• Rapid deployment without extensive infrastructure
• Real-time license plate recognition
• Direct alerts to investigators’ phones
• Portable operation in challenging environments
• On-device data capture and retention

Built for real-world operations, TRACER equipment is designed to withstand demanding conditions, including outdoor deployments and extreme heat.
Most importantly, data captured by TRACER remains on-device and under agency control. Agencies maintain ownership of their information without relying on third-party cloud storage or external platforms.
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Continuing the StarWitness Mission
NATIA provided an outstanding opportunity to engage with professionals who understand the challenges investigators face every day. The conversations, feedback, and demonstrations reinforced what drives StarWitness: developing technology that supports investigators, protects evidence integrity, and helps agencies achieve better outcomes.
We appreciate everyone who visited our booth at NATIA and shared their insights with our team. We look forward to continuing these conversations and demonstrating how StarWitness is helping agencies modernize their investigative workflows.

Our guide, Getting the most out of your interview room recording equipment, offers easy improvements on everything from furniture arrangement to sound proofing in your interview room. These upgrades to your room can improve speech intelligibility and help you get the best picture quality possible with your interview room recording systems.

Download the guide

The main objective of a interrogation is to make the suspect admit to a crime or speak the truth. But the questioning process can be quite complex and might lead the suspect astray from confessing. Louis Sense, Chief Polygraph Examiner and Vice President of John E. Reid and Associates, Inc, recommends these 5 tactics to a successful interrogation.

1. Case facts and motive
2. The suspect’s statements during the interview
3. Common sense
4. Prior similar case experiences
5. Training and education

To see an example cases and these themes in action, read more here.