Guns on cameras

2008-05-12 22:29:45

#1

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6966|Texas - Bigger than France

So I was watching CSI and they had a neat gadget where a camera came on when the cop pulled out his tazer and shocked a dude. Then they rolled the tape to learn more about what happened.

Got me thinking.

There's cameras on squad cars, why not put them on cop guns?

The technology is there, a small camera hooked to a small disc, and you have a home made cops video.

Here comes the big "Ifs" part...

...If the camera flicked on when it left the holster so you can see what happened just before and after
...If it was standard issue
...If it didn't have any drawbacks to shooting/drawing, etc

Is there a reason not to have them standard cop issue?

Imagine the difference it would have made with the case Sharpton is having a heydey with in New York.

Also, what if it was standard on EVERY gun, even if not attached to a cop's gun?

2008-05-12 22:31:33

#2

Deadmonkiefart: Floccinaucinihilipilificator; +177|7130

Great. Putting cameras on all guns. Just another way for the government to monitor us.

2008-05-12 22:32:53

#3

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6966|Texas - Bigger than France

Deadmonkiefart wrote:
Great. Putting cameras on all guns. Just another way for the government to monitor us.

Why's that? It doesn't remove the need for a warrant.

2008-05-12 22:38:04

#4

Smithereener: Member; +138|6739|California

Deadmonkiefart wrote:
Great. Putting cameras on all guns. Just another way for the government to monitor us.

I didn't see this idea as a 1984-esque thing to be honest. Perhaps that last part, of putting a camera standard on every gun - but I'd actually be somewhat supportive of a camera on guns for cops. It wouldn't neccessarily monitor citizens very effectively since a cop isn't gonna pull it out and point it at some dude for no reason.

Plus, by having this, it'd be easier to determine the legitimacy of the cop having drawn the gun - I mean, you hear stories of people complaining about it bieng unneccessary or something all the time.

2008-05-12 22:44:05

#5

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6966|Texas - Bigger than France

Smithereener wrote:
Deadmonkiefart wrote:
Great. Putting cameras on all guns. Just another way for the government to monitor us.
I didn't see this idea as a 1984-esque thing to be honest. Perhaps that last part, of putting a camera standard on every gun - but I'd actually be somewhat supportive of a camera on guns for cops. It wouldn't neccessarily monitor citizens very effectively since a cop isn't gonna pull it out and point it at some dude for no reason.

Plus, by having this, it'd be easier to determine the legitimacy of the cop having drawn the gun - I mean, you hear stories of people complaining about it bieng unneccessary or something all the time.

But it is possible that the utility of having it on a cop's gun spills over to all guns eventually.

Lol - I thought of another problem...cops might start drawing their guns all the time..."Hold on I have to get this on camera".

Maybe just giving cops space helmets with a video feed would suffice.

2008-05-12 23:01:30

#6

Home: Section.80; +447|7271|Seattle, Washington, USA

Like you mentioned, since it can't film before the cop actually draws it, I don't think it'd be much help. Usually people protest the circumstances of the shooting. If the video is just of the person being shot, it doesn't really show if they deserved it or not.

2008-05-12 23:11:26

#7

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6966|Texas - Bigger than France

Home wrote:
Like you mentioned, since it can't film before the cop actually draws it, I don't think it'd be much help. Usually people protest the circumstances of the shooting. If the video is just of the person being shot, it doesn't really show if they deserved it or not.

Sure, if they drop them immediately.

All the cop shows have them yelling at the baddie to create tension, perhaps they'll do the same so you'd be able to see if the perp was complying?

I know its impractical BTW.

2008-05-12 23:14:00

#8

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6829|North Carolina

I'm not a big fan of this idea unless we restrict it to only guns that police are using.

By the way, shouldn't the title be "cameras on guns"?

2008-05-12 23:16:41

#9

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6966|Texas - Bigger than France

Turquoise wrote:
I'm not a big fan of this idea unless we restrict it to only guns that police are using.

By the way, shouldn't the title be "cameras on guns"?

Although I was late posting it, the better idea is "Cop Helmets on Cameras".

lol

edit damn spell much pug?

Last edited by Pug (2008-05-12 23:17:20)

2008-05-13 00:09:28

#10

zeidmaan: Member; +234|6839|Vienna

Except most police officers dont go around wearing helmets

Shoulder cam?

2008-05-13 10:58:55

#11

RAIMIUS: You with the face!; +244|7138|US

It would not be very practical. There simply are not cheap, high quality cameras that small. Second, it would not acually show much. The time where you could actually see the target would not be long enough to make a good judgement. Third, the quality would be horrble. Do you realize how bad the image would be, if you tried to get photos from a pistol in recoil?

2008-05-13 11:27:53

#12

IRONCHEF: Member; +385|6915|Northern California

Well, with the advent of more and more taserings, taser deaths, shootings by cop (suicides by cop), racially opposing shootings, etc, etc...more video equipment will undoubtedly make their way in. If a PD department is getting sued continually, it'll start covering it's butt more..this is probably who many cruisers have dash mounted cameras, recording audio, etc. Gun mounted cameras my be a ways out, but I can sure guess hat cams, or some other fixed camera on a uniform (button cam?) will be common some day. There's no big brother about it, it's PD ass covering. And if I'm not mistaken, it can be viewed by public with the right request as are all transcripts and crimes IIRC.

2008-05-13 11:57:35

#13

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7005|SE London

Shouldn't this topic be called cameras on guns?

I was expecting it to be about CCTV cameras with guns on.....

2008-05-13 12:05:33

#14

d4rkst4r: biggie smalls; +72|6877|Ontario, Canada

Just cover up the camera?

"you know life is what we make it, and a chance is like a picture, it'd be nice if you just take it"

2008-05-13 16:40:31

#15

Deadmonkiefart: Floccinaucinihilipilificator; +177|7130

Smithereener wrote:
Deadmonkiefart wrote:
Great. Putting cameras on all guns. Just another way for the government to monitor us.
I didn't see this idea as a 1984-esque thing to be honest. Perhaps that last part, of putting a camera standard on every gun - but I'd actually be somewhat supportive of a camera on guns for cops. It wouldn't neccessarily monitor citizens very effectively since a cop isn't gonna pull it out and point it at some dude for no reason.

Plus, by having this, it'd be easier to determine the legitimacy of the cop having drawn the gun - I mean, you hear stories of people complaining about it bieng unneccessary or something all the time.

If guns with cameras could be made for cops so that they were not too bulky, then fine. But, requiring all guns to have cameras on them is unacceptable. Even having cops carry guns with cameras on them seems a bit extreme. I'm sure it will happen eventually, but it would be too bulky and expensive at the moment. I worry about it becoming common to scrutinize the police and every decision they make. Society likes to blame the people who can get them in trouble, for everything. It makes us feel better about ourselves. I think people are way to hard on police right now. The question is if the camera would serve to protect the police or punish them unjustly. This of course is up to the jurors themselves, not the camera. So, I guess I have to say yes. Even if, under the current trend of thought, it may do more to promote anti police sentiment than protect people. With a truly neutral judge, it could do more good than harm.

2008-05-13 23:18:19

#16

BeerzGod: Hooray Beer!; +94|6994|United States

I don't think it would be a bad idea at all, but it's completely impractical. The main reasons have already been listed. Cost would be the biggest factor... then you have the poor image quality of a lens that small (That isn't super expensive), not to mention that the recoil would probably blank the camera out for 5-8 seconds.

The idea that these cameras could "spill" over to all guns is so far fetched I can't help but laugh. Can anyone really comprehend the amount of manpower and resources it would take to monitor a system of public gun-cams or even how something like that could ever be accomplished in the first place?

2008-05-13 23:27:27

#17

Wallpaper: ☺; +303|6417|The pool

Would not capture much, expensive, impractical. Hell no.

My flickr

BF2S Forums Guns on cameras

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

Smithereener wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

Home wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

Smithereener wrote:

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

Board footer