Pondera County Montana

Solution: Exacom HindSight hybrid cloud recording system, on AWS, integrated with:

Outcome: Smooth transition from aging on-premise recorder; reduced local hardware footprint; easier call search, playback, and download; reliable recording across analog, digital, and trunked radio; improved active-call playback for dispatchers; predictable subscription pricing.

Pondera County needed a recording solution that could support its IT environment without adding more infrastructure for the team to manage.

Their key concerns included:

Pondera County selected Exacom’s HindSight Hybrid Cloud, a managed recording solution that combines local capture with cloud-based access and management.

Instead of relying on a large on-site server footprint, the sheriff’s office now uses a small on-premise device to capture communications data and transfer it automatically to the cloud. Users then access the recorder through the browser-based cloud interface.

For the County, that hybrid model addresses several priorities at once: local capture where needed, cloud access for day-to-day use, less equipment to manage, and fewer concerns about storage growth over time. It also supports continuity of operations in a rural environment where internet connectivity can be a concern. If the connection to the cloud is interrupted, recordings continue to be captured locally. Once connectivity is restored, the recordings are queued and automatically uploaded to the cloud.

The cloud aspect was not the original driver of the project, but it quickly became one of the biggest reasons Pondera County chose Exacom’s HindSight platform.

With their previous on-premise environment, storage and hardware upgrades were ongoing concerns. With hybrid cloud, the agency could reduce its dependency on local server infrastructure while still maintaining reliable capture of mission-critical communications.

“Having it go to the cloud instead of on site was a huge push for us. We’re a small agency; we don’t have a lot of space. Our rack is full as it is.”, said Undersheriff Robert Bender.

The subscription-based model also helped the agency avoid large upfront capital expenses. For a small county budget, spreading costs over time made the project easier to approve.

The County had a time-sensitive implementation window because it needed to avoid paying for another year of service with the previous vendor. Exacom worked with the County to complete the installation quickly and minimize disruption.

The cutover was described as quick and straightforward, with only a short window of recording transition time.

Since moving to HindSight, Pondera County has seen smoother operations, reliable recording, and fewer support concerns.

The system is used by the dispatch center, deputies, and other staff who need access to recordings. Dispatchers use HindSight’s instant recall feature to replay recordings during an active 911 call when they need to confirm a name, number, or detail from the caller. With the previous recorder, dispatcher had to wait for a call to upload before replaying it. With HindSight, they can replay audio while still actively handling the call.

Exacom HindSight gave this agency a modern recording platform by combining local capture with cloud-based access and storage. Pondera County gained a system that is easier to use, easier to support, and better aligned with their budget and operational needs.