Manual voice annotations for CCTV reporting and investigation

A method for providing Hierarchical Embedded Investigation Accounts (HEIA), the method comprising:

• recording video footage of a crime or accident, said video footage being recorded by a CCTV camera monitoring a secure area;
• storing the video footage on a first storage medium;
• retrieving the stored video footage and adding a portion of the video footage that is relevant to an investigation of the crime or accident into a video clip;
• storing the video clip on a second storage medium;
• recording a first voice annotation from a first investigator of a plurality of investigators investigating the crime or accident by reviewing the video clip, the recorded first voice annotation describing events occurring in the video clip, said first voice annotation being encoded over the video clip such that the first voice annotation can be played back in synchronization with the video clip;
• recording at least a second voice annotation from at least a second investigator of the plurality of investigators investigating the crime or accident by reviewing the video clip, the recorded second voice annotation describing events occurring in the video clip, said second voice annotation being recorded while reviewing the video clip in synchronization with the first voice annotation;
• assigning the first and at least second voice annotation to a hierarchy based upon at least one of a reviewer's rank, a stage in the investigation and a content of the annotation;
• and
• playing back the first and at least second voice annotations in accordance with the hierarchy where each of the first and at least second voice annotations in the hierarchy are played back individually in synchronism with the recorded video footage.