cops get gun-mounted cameras

[Ukraine Train]

Just saw on the news that Bedford Police (Cleveland suburb) is getting tiny cameras mounted on their guns with small monitors that they wear on their wrists so they can peak around corners without exposing themselves. Pretty neat.

 

[orangeninja]

Yeeaahhhhh.....maybe. Looks like one more thing to go wrong to me. My reason is there will be some gizmo cop...every department has these guys, the ones with 900 things on their belts...anyhow, so he'll be clearing a house and paying so much attention to his little camera his tactics will take a crap. He'll get right next to a wall and peak around the corner with his gun and the perp will shoot him through the drywall before the little camera picks him up.

O'course that could just be me hating on technology again....hell, I just bought my first IPOD a week ago.

 

[Optical Serenity]

Yeah, you are hating on technology. As it is we have lots of technology and actually not enough. Training incorporates technology and we use it to everyone's gain.


I suppose you don't like power steering as well?

 

[Zen21Tao]

As it is we have lots of technology and actually not enough. Training incorporates technology and we use it to everyone's gain.

There is also a tendency for many people to rely on technology rather than training. For example, back in the old 6 shooter days officers placed much more emphasis on shot placement. With the emergence of autos many officers found themselves spraying and praying rather than carefully looking for their best shots. While technology is great it is by no mean a relacement for skill, training, and technique.

 

[mp510]

Mounting cameras on guns could cause patently unsafe situations. This will have cops covering people, possibly under circumstances were drawing weapons and/ or covering people is unwarranted.

 

[BigRobT]

Didn't somebody suggest this only a couple of weeks ago?? I swear I remember reading about how he thought it would be a good idea for guns to have miniature cameras mounted on them. I also recall the countless rebuffs against the idea. I can see some good points and I can see some bad points in the idea.

(edit) after exhaustive searching, I found the thread: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=181153

 

[orangeninja]

I suppose you don't like power steering as well?


Of course I like power steering....just not a camera on the front of my car for me to see through.

 

[hot head]

gun cam

some of the tazer's have a cam built in the light port its pretty cool when its played back on a tv or a dvd.

 

[50caliber123]

To see around corners... My favorite idea so far is from Saving Private Ryan. Where they stick a small mirror on a bayonet, and angle it to see. I could easily see them issuing cheap mirrors from the dollar store, with the little handle, and angle it to see if needed. They could call it "the tactical pocket mirror" or something similar. It looks like they want to spend money, but why not upgrade some of their weapons instead? Replace the older ones with new?

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi Alduro-

You're absolutely correct...technology will never take the place of quality training and solid preparation. It is also something that can get someone killed if they're playing around with some tiny and oversophisticated spycamera instead of simply keeping their eyes and ears wide open.

Don't worry about ol' Optical Serenity there. If a post doesn't heap praise upon every police officer that ever existed anywhere in the world, he tends to get a little hot under the collar.

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[Ovid]

Is this the cornershot thing they are talking about? http://www.cornershot.com/

I'm surprised we haven't seen these in movies or on TV!

 

[Raph84]

To see around corners... My favorite idea so far is from Saving Private Ryan. Where they stick a small mirror on a bayonet, and angle it to see.

They make small mirrors that friction fit to the end of collapsible batons. I always think of that scene in Saving Private Ryan whenever I see them.

 

[LAK]

Not that thing again. Rather than write it all over again, this is what I think about it .......

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149354&highlight=corner

------------------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstate.org

 

[355sigfan]

{O'course that could just be me hating on technology again....hell, I just bought my first IPOD a week ago.}

Tell me just how do you tactially load a muzzleloader.
Pat

 

[NineseveN]

Sure, let's point weapons around corners, not knowing what's in the line of fire... no big deal if one of the cops ND's and kills a little girl in her bed... :banghead:

If you're not going to shoot, don't point that friggen gun.

 

[355sigfan]

Umm the pistol has a camera so you can see whats in your line of fire. Try reading the thread. And if were in a situataion where our guns are out then some people are going to get covered until where we have estabilished their not a threat. Seems like your taking one tragic instance and blowing it way up.
Pat

 

[NineseveN]

Umm the pistol has a camera so you can see whats in your line of fire.

It wouldn't be in your line of fire if you weren't pointing the gun in that direction. That's what we call circular, boys and girls. There are plenty of other tools that can be used to look around corners that do not have deadly weapons attached to them. There is simply little to no reason for this device as it stands now and it needlessly creates a dangerous situation where officers are using guns as viewfinders.

Try reading the thread. And if were in a situataion where our guns are out then some people are going to get covered until where we have estabilished their not a threat. Seems like your taking one tragic instance and blowing it way up.

One tragic instance? Oh gee, my fault, I forgot, police officers only negligently killed that one guy that one time because there was a gun pointed at them when it likely shouldn't have been...what was that guy's name again?


I'm all for the cameras without the monitors, that would probably save police departments some liability claims, would protect the officer if he or she did nothing wrong in a shoot or would provide adequate evidence towards a conviction if the officer was in the wrong. This wanton disregard for the safety of others by officers pointing their firearms when they shouldn't be is only a small problem now compared to what it will be when John Law gets his Glock wired for closed circuit television.


For the Military and trained SWAT teams, perhaps the Cornershot is a useful tool, for your run of the mill patrol officer, this is just a bad idea.

 

[Iggy]

Tactical Pocket Mirror

Robert Mika sells one..

http://www.frontiernet.net/~akim/mirror.htm

View attachment 263798

Might be cheaper than that Glock critter!!

 

[355sigfan]

For the Military and trained SWAT teams, perhaps the Cornershot is a useful tool, for your run of the mill patrol officer, this is just a bad idea.
END QUOTE

Its a tool right now for SWAT and SPEC opps teams. ALthough it would be fine for Patrol given proper training.

Your blowing this way out of porportion. It looks like a neat tool that could save lives. I am all for it. If you were at risk you may not be quite so much against it.
Pat

 

[GTSteve03]

If you were at risk you may not be quite so much against it.

We ARE the ones at risk. If cops decide to start checking out every room by sweeping a loaded weapon around the corner, everyone in that room is at risk of a ND or worse.

 

[NineseveN]

We ARE the ones at risk. If cops decide to start checking out every room by sweeping a loaded weapon around the corner, everyone in that room is at risk of a ND or worse.

That's the problem with some cops, they're not thinking about our safety, only theirs, or at least theirs first, all other considerations come second. To some of them everyone is a violent felon until proven innocent, so it is completely okay to run around pointing their guns at everyone...basic safety rules don't apply to them, they're above all of that nonsense.

Fiber optic snake cameras are much better for peaking around corners and obstacles (much more discreet and as such will not telegraph your position, does not allow the firearm to be stripped from the user by an attacker who is just around a corner etc...), but no, they want guns attached to the cameras for their safety, to hell with the safety of everyone else.

If you're so worried about your own safety as to needlessly endanger the rest of the populace, go sell donuts, we don't need you serving us.

 

[355sigfan]

That's the problem with some cops, they're not thinking about our safety, only theirs, or at least theirs first, all other considerations come second.
END QUOTE

Quite frankly my safety does come first in that type of situation. Again sounds like the cop bashers are out in force.
Pat

 

[GTSteve03]

Quite frankly my safety does come first in that type of situation.

What type of situation would that be? Anytime you feel the need to draw your weapon?

So you're advocating not only covering innocent people with your weapon, now you want to do it while hiding around a corner and not even knowing what you'll be covering beforehand?

 

[Master Blaster]

Flash lights, cameras, all excuses to violate the #1 rule of firearm safety,

DO NOT POINT A GUN AT ANYTHING YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE DESTROYED.

The rule applies to police officers as well as civilians, you see flying bullets make no distinction between crimminals police and innocent bystanders.

A gun is not a flashlight, it is not a camera.

But hey I have a great idea, if officers need to use guns other than as such for their convenience, Why dont we make a police radio they can attach to the rail on their gun.

That way they can point the gun at their own head when they are talking on the radio. Makes as much sense as using a loaded firearm as a flashlight or a camera. ANd the best part about the rail radio is that it will help teach officers rule number two:

KEEP YOU FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL THE GUN IS POINTED AT THE TARGET AND YOU ARE READY TO FIRE.

 

[GTSteve03]

That way they can point the gun at their own head when they are talking on the radio. Makes as much sense as using a loaded firearm as a flashlight or a camera.

Hey Boss, which end did you say I was 'sposed to talk into?