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JOHN WHITTET
If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now.
Articles Posted: 55; Links Seeded: 2020
Member Since: 11/2005Last Seen: 12/22/2009
Member Since: 11/2005Last Seen: 12/22/2009
17 Votes
30 Comments
Pistol Cams keep cops honest
News Type: Event — Seeded on Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:18 AM EDT
Article Source: Wired Newsadvertisement
If a cop points a gun at you, remember to smile. No, not to keep the officer from pulling the trigger (though it couldn't hurt), but because you might be on camera. In an effort to address public concerns about police accountability, the sheriff's department SWAT team in Orange County, New York, recently started packing the PistolCam, a cigarette-pack-sized combination videocam, flashlight, and laser targeter that attaches to the gun barrel's underside. "A lot of people in urban settings believe police officers are recklessly gunning people down," says Terry Gordon, a former prison guard whose New York firm, Legend Technologies, developed the $695 device. "This will be a cost-effective tool for liability protection." The gadget starts recording whenever the gun is drawn. It can store an hour of video with audio, which is encrypted to prevent tampering by cops under investigation. The whole system couldn't be simpler — just point and shoot.
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6.2
1.3
{"commentId":2084213,"authorDomain":"basseq"}
Say cheese!
{"commentId":2084213,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"basseq"}
- 3 votes
#1 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:20 AM EDT{"commentId":2084693,"authorDomain":"Constitutionalpatriot"}
Right. Say "Cheese" right before you get shot by an officer who says that you were threatening him "right before he pulled his gun" and shot you.
I can see it now. Advertisements for that most precious of moments: Film of your loved one(s) being gunned down by some 20-year old half-wit "officer" with a penchant for shooting first and asking questions later. Not sold in any store! Order now and receive a free pedicure kit!
Call it direct! Call it collect! But call it today!!!! (humble apologies to Frank Zappa)........
{"commentId":2084693,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"Constitutionalpatriot"}
- 3 votes
#2 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:43 AM EDT{"commentId":2086425,"authorDomain":"danish"}
Hmmm... I actually thought it was a good idea for about 5 seconds, until I realized it is only activated when you pull out the gun. I think there may be some cases, where the officer pulls the gun, and there is a time delay - this could work as great PR for the police officers. It may also cause some restraint, perhaps even unnecessary restraint.
I did not see the angle on dvd-distribution and even more insane YouTube moments, until I read Constitutional Patriot's comment. But there is a Robocop dimension to this, so to speak. Sometimes a great idea doesn't really work in real life.
{"commentId":2086425,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"danish"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2084739,"authorDomain":"thura"}
just point and shoot
So what else is new. They have always been pointing and shooting.
{"commentId":2084739,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"thura"}
- 1 vote
#3 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:50 AM EDT{"commentId":2084920,"authorDomain":"babin"}
Can we get TASER CAMS next?
Maybe we should look into how cops are being trained these days...
{"commentId":2084920,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"babin"}
#4 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:15 AM EDT{"commentId":2085078,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
{"commentId":2085094,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
Overall I think this is a good thing and will provide insight into what was going on. That said we have seen before where the camera doesn't tell the whole story.
{"commentId":2085094,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
- 2 votes
#5 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:35 AM EDT{"commentId":2085228,"authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
This is just some b.s. public relations cover-up to try and keep people calm about the massive numbers of police shootings just this year! So the gun is gonna be drawn that much sooner so that it can start recording early, right? Doesn't it make sense that it would then follow that the itchy trigger finger would be more likely to fire sooner (we know how nervous they get!)? Once they pull out that gun, all bets are off, camera or not!
{"commentId":2085228,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
- 2 votes
#6 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:50 AM EDT{"commentId":2085301,"authorDomain":"babin"}
I think there is a direct correlation to increased shootings and taser deaths - Cops are becoming more aggressive - or is that also a proportional increase with crime?
Someone needs to drop us a line chart with trending
{"commentId":2085301,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"babin"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2087041,"authorDomain":"HiredGun"}
Tell Officer Friendly...slow down on the coffee or start drinking De-Caf.
Maybe he'll just shoot video with his gun and not some poor guy defending his home
{"commentId":2087041,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"HiredGun"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2085465,"authorDomain":"batteredknight"}
I think this is an awesome idea. The next thing to do is to get 911 chips installed in the pistols so the moment it's fired the police station is alerted.
{"commentId":2085465,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"batteredknight"}
- 2 votes
#7 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:16 AM EDT{"commentId":2085500,"authorDomain":"babin"}
hahaha
{"commentId":2085500,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"babin"}
{"commentId":2086122,"authorDomain":"basseq"}
That's actually a good idea.
{"commentId":2086122,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"basseq"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2086353,"authorDomain":"batteredknight"}
I wish I could claim credit for it. But it comes from an almost defunct game. R Talasorian Cyberpunk. Police officers had sidearms that were routinely set up with gun cams, smart chips, laser sights, and were "911" chipped so that it notified a central mainframe the moment it was fired as well as transmitted the visuals from the gun cams.
I always thought that'd be awesome for police to have a set up like that, and the technology is finally here for it to happen.
Personally, I'd also want to see guns have an RFID recieiver or something in it so that only authorized personal could fire it.
{"commentId":2086353,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"batteredknight"}
{"commentId":2088641,"authorDomain":"kikaiju"}
Personally, I'd also want to see guns have an RFID recieiver or something in it so that only authorized personal could fire it.
Such a thing has existed for years. I saw a demo back in the 90s.
The authorized user wears an RFID ring on each hand. The weapon includes a safety which will not disengage without detecting the signal. No signal, no shoot.
The main advantage was supposed to be preventing officers from getting shot by their own duty weapon.
To be fair, I have not actually seen this ring system in use by anyone but I haven't been looking for it either.
On the subject of the PistolCam, I think it's a brilliant idea and I want one on my weapon immediately. If I'm going to draw my weapon and/or shoot, there is a damn good reason for it and I'd like a camera to back my story.
The combo with light and laser is great too. The light to see what you're aiming at, laser to aid the aim, and camera to serve as a witness. I wish I'd invented it!
{"commentId":2088641,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"kikaiju"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2088840,"authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
Re: 7.4 -- Fortunately for you a camera is hardly necessary for you to back your story because you are hardly ever convicted for shooting anyone in the first place! Too bad we don't have anything to protect us from you, we're lucky to even be able to exercise our rights to film you without being threatened, intimidated, manhandled and arrested!
{"commentId":2088840,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2089295,"authorDomain":"basseq"}
I think the video "evidence" in a lot of cases is going to be a five-second clip that's blurry from movement, lit up with muzzle flashes, and then ended with the victim falling to the ground.
{"commentId":2089295,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"basseq"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2085947,"authorDomain":"DavidLamb"}
First
{"commentId":2085947,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"DavidLamb"}
#8 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:09 PM EDT{"commentId":2087635,"authorDomain":"caroaber"}
This isn't TMZ.com or PerezHilton, y'know.
{"commentId":2087635,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"caroaber"}
{"commentId":2091251,"authorDomain":"DavidLamb"}
Typo. My fault. I meant to write "Frist" as in former Senator William Frist. He's the type of reformer that could make this happen.
{"commentId":2091251,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"DavidLamb"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2092711,"authorDomain":"basseq"}
Haha, I read your comment as being rather juvenile, too. Little did I know there was actually a pretty good reason behind it.
{"commentId":2092711,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"basseq"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2086090,"authorDomain":"marcowhm"}
What do these devices do to the performance and "feel" of the gun? I mean, isn't this something that can get in the way and therefore compromise safety? And instead of recording only once the gun is drawn, why not put the camera on the police officer, instead of on the gun, so that the entire confrontation can be recorded instead of just from the time the gun is drawn?
{"commentId":2086090,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"marcowhm"}
#9 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:25 PM EDT{"commentId":2086129,"authorDomain":"basseq"}
Also a good idea.
{"commentId":2086129,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"basseq"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2086765,"authorDomain":"joegrind"}
So what starts the recording? All an officer needs to do to get around this is enable the recording for a hour until it can't store anymore then go back to the old m.o.
{"commentId":2086765,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"joegrind"}
#10 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:42 PM EDT{"commentId":2087511,"authorDomain":"batteredknight"}
If it's transmitted via celluar technology, it doesn't matter what the officer does. If they tie in some penalties for jacking around with the camera, it could be a great tool for not only the officer but for the victims.
My guess is if you take the gun out of the holster, it should turn on and start transmitting. I'm sure that it could be abused by individuals with the right technological know how, but I'd rather have something that provides concrete evidence of what's there than nothing at all. Truthfully, as much for the officers themselves, as it is for anyone else.
{"commentId":2087511,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"batteredknight"}
{"commentId":2088134,"authorDomain":"ecstaticexorcist"}
{"commentId":2088971,"authorDomain":"robbykelly"}
so here's where my brain goes... and forgive me if this is addressed in the article, I'm at work and they block anything and everything. If there are all these alleged police shootings, wouldn't the ballistics team know they were by a police issued firearm? I'd say yes if they were any good. I'm not the most knowledgable person when it comes to this (yeah I've seen an episode or two of CSI) but I'm pretty sure guns have a definable fingerprint much like we all have our own definable fingerprint. If the bullets were recovered in any of these shootings they could be checked against bullets fired from issued firearms and the problem would be solved, if that were the case. So that means that if, follow me now I said if, these officers are smart enough to not use their issued guns for these alleged shootings, wouldn't this be a tremendous waste of money since they aren't linking these shootings to police issued firearms?
{"commentId":2088971,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"robbykelly"}
#12 - Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:45 PM EDT{"commentId":2089444,"authorDomain":"bacos1103"}
robbykelly,
The issue addressed isn't whether or not the cop shot them, but the rationale behind the shooting.
They hope to record the circumstances and threats presented in order to determine if the shooting was justified.
I love this idea.
{"commentId":2089444,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"bacos1103"}
{"commentId":2098216,"authorDomain":"kikaiju"}
Cheryl Johnson said this at 7.5:
Re: 7.4 -- Fortunately for you a camera is hardly necessary for you to back your story because you are hardly ever convicted for shooting anyone in the first place! Too bad we don't have anything to protect us from you, we're lucky to even be able to exercise our rights to film you without being threatened, intimidated, manhandled and arrested!
Excuse me, "Cheryl Johnson." I think you have misunderstood. I'm a private citizen, not a LEO. If I shoot somebody while defending my life, I WANT evidence to back up my story.
You don't need protection from me, unless you intend to threaten my life or something. I have never arrested anyone, nor manhandled them, nor done any of the other things you accuse me of. Thank YOU for bringing me up on false charges and convicting me without a shred of evidence. Are you going to get out the nightstick and let me have a good smack "by accident" too?
{"commentId":2098216,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"kikaiju"}
#13 - Tue Jul 1, 2008 6:43 PM EDT{"commentId":2101338,"authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
My mistake, since the PistolCam is for cops, I responded to your enthusiasm believing that you were a cop.
{"commentId":2101338,"threadId":"302443","contentId":"1625075","authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
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