Redaction Assistant speeds up your redaction process by checking videos for common objects, such as license plates, MDT/MDC screens and faces, and automatically adding mask segments to those objects. This cuts down the amount of time you need to spend on tedious, repetitive tasks and allows you to focus on more important parts of redaction. Additionally, Redaction Assistant's ability to identify objects will improve over time, further reducing the time needed for reviewing and editing.
Redaction Assistant is an add-on to the standard Axon Redaction Studio functionality and may not be available at your agency.
This article provides information on starting Redaction Assistant and reviewing Redaction Assistant masks.
Starting Redaction Assistant
- On the Evidence Detail page for the evidence you want to redact, below the video player, click Redactions.
- Click Redaction Studio.
This launches Redaction Studio within the browser window. - Click Start for the Redaction Assistant processes you want to use on the video.
Note: Redaction Assistant uses the same blur level as the last redaction mask you used. If you want Redaction Assistant to use a different blur level, then before you start a scan - add a video mask with the appropriate blur level, delete the mask, and then start the Redaction Assistant scan.
- MDT/MDC: This process checks the video for vehicle MDT/MDC screens 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.
- Faces: This process checks the video for faces and adds masks to cover the faces, and then provides users with the option to choose which individual faces to redact.
Redaction Assistant begins scanning and processing the video.
Masks initially appear as open rectangles in the segment timeline. This allows the user to view and confirm that the object should be redacted. Once the mask for an object is confirmed, the segment timeline rectangle will be filled.
While Redaction Assistant is processing, you can continue redaction work on the video and even adjust Redaction Assistant masks. You can also exit Redaction Studio and Redaction Assistant will continue to scan and process the video.
A Redaction Assistant progress bar shows the status of the redaction check. When the progress bar shows the check is complete, you can review the all masks added by Redaction Assistant.
The following images show the progress bar appearance during a scan.
Reviewing Redaction Assistant Masks
After the Redaction Assistant places a mask, you can review and edit the mask.
Axon recommends that you watch the entire video to verify that masks were added to all the appropriate objects.
- Redaction Assistant masks are orange when selected on the video or segment timeline. Redaction Assistant masks are automatically selected to be redacted with the extraction. The mask must be manually excluded if it should not be part of the redaction.
- To review a mask:
- Select the mask in the segment timeline.
- Review the mask. If the object should not be redacted, then clear the Redact check box.
- You can adjust the mask as needed.
- You can delete all the masks of a certain type by clicking the X on the appropriate process bar.
- When working with Redaction Assistant masks you can:
- Adjust the start and end times for the mask
- Change the blur level of the mask
- Delete a mask
- Move and change the size of a mask
- Use Spray Paint Redaction with Redaction Assistant masks to extend segments with finer control. Just click and hold on the mask during video playback at normal, half speed, or rewind, and then use your mouse to follow the object you want to redact.
- Once you have reviewed and edited the Redaction Assistant masks and added any of your own masks, you can extract the video normally.