Movie Camera in Police Car Puts Evidence on Film (Sep, 1939)
Mounted on the dashboard of his patrol car, with its lens pointing forward through the windshield, a motion-picture camera belonging to Officer R. H. Galbraith of the California Highway Patrol takes photographs of the automobiles he trails along the highways, making a permanent film record of any traffic violations for possible later use in court. This was the beginning of the “dashcam” that did not surface until later in the 80’s in Texas.
source: modern mechanix
