7 comments

Saturday, May 17, 2008 | 5:34pm

In wake of Sean Bell Shooting, Brooklyn Sentaor Proposes Use of ‘Gun Cam’

Posted by Juan

$700 Camera Device designed to “improve public confidence in NYPD. But there are drawbacks

Pistol Cam

I was going to wait to report this because I figured the blogosphere would be all over it but to my surprise no one is really chatting it up in the urban circuit. In the wake of the Sean Bell fiasco (shooting, trial and subsequent protests) NYPD has been in search of new ways to provide “proof of performance” on their “Protect and Serve” montra.

Eric Adams a former Brooklyn, New York cop and current Democratic State Sentator has proposed the addition of a $700 gun camera that he feels will improve public confidence in the NYPD.

Sen. Adams

“We believe the state of New York can lead the country,” Adams said. “There no longer can be a question mark that lingers after shootings.”

As soon as an officer draws his weapon, a red laser light on the five-ounce attachment shoots out activating the camera.  The camera can continue filming whatever is in the gun’s path for up to an hour after being drawn.

It sounds like a good idea but it does have one major flaw, the laser can potentially be a hazard to an officer in pursuit of a perpetrator.  So its designed to be disabled if the the officer feels it may put them in danger.   This alone will make the program useless but I definately applaud the effort.  The city will however go forward with the new experimental devices by testing them with the SWAT team.

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7 Comments »

Comment by malcolm
2008-05-17 20:31:05

Not to mention an obvious problem holstering and getting it out of the holster in a hurry.

They’d be better off with a wireless lapel camera on the officer themselves.

 
Comment by kev
2008-05-17 23:04:37

i could be mistaken but cops roll 3 deep in a car nowadays. if its potentially harmful than 1 officer should come equip with the pistol gun. this is a great idea that unfortunately i believe the nypd should of done after the diallo incident but this is a good step in moving forward of police brutality.

Queens own r i p sean bell
50 shots=no justice
hold your head nicole

 
Comment by Cahmodity
2008-05-18 09:33:26

A true smith, if this doesn’t show that NYPD was wrong in the Bell shooting I don’t know what else it will take. Now they want to record their officers shooting or beating someones ass courtesy of NYPD…all rights reserved…GAMBLE!

 
Comment by RUTHLESSNYC
2008-05-18 22:37:10

this will never happen nypd is too cheap to fund this they cant even afford to pay their officers a decent pay check, much less to afford for that crap. Plus that would make cop shootings more fatal even I could hit someone with a red dot on a gun…lol

 
2008-05-18 22:56:16

they’ll just accidentally dismantle it

 
2008-05-19 08:23:25

no Ruthless it’ll make them more presise which means they’ll hit what they’re shooting at and hopefully not innocent people. Crap? Explain why exactly that’s “crap?” It’s proof of performance…in every other job they have cameras and quality control…in one of the deadliest jobs in America wouldn’t you as an “AVERAGE CITIZEN” want that as well?

 
Comment by Thomas Brennan
2008-07-08 03:29:47

Come ON NOW PEOPLE. The intentions are good but this idea is NOT THOUGHT OUT PROPERLY. First of all, how the hell is a plainclothesman or detective supposed to conceal that thing? Diallo and Bell were both shot and killed by plainclothesmen. Yeah, like an undercover is gonna add that extra HUGE bulge to his gun when he goes to make a buy-and-bust. His LIFE depends on his handgun being concealed, people. Think. Second of all, what if, in a tense situation, the officer forgets to turn off that light/laser device, gives his position in the darkness away, and gets himself killed? Think, people, THINK. Third of all, as has been mentioned, how can the NYPD afford this if they can hardly pay their officers a decent salary? THINK, PEOPLE. Will this expensive, over-engineered and ill-conceived program REALLY increase accountability? Or is it just another tactic to humiliate the hard-working and disgracefully under-paid officers of the NYPD?

 
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