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Phone Security
These phone recorders allow you to record conversations on a telephone line. All of these telephone recorders will silently record both sides of the conversation. Units are activated by sound or by someone picking up the phone. You can connect these phone recorders to an open phone jack and set them to record only conversations or you can use them as room recorders. You will not record dead time, only actual conversations.
Digital conversation recorders record with their own memory; there is no tape to flip. The digital phone recorders on this page can also be uploaded to your computer via high speed USB.
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GPS Car Tracking Systems
GPS car tracking or vehicle tracking is often used for covert tracking of the driver in the car. We will not look to this kind of applications, but rather the business variant for which GPS asset tracking would be a better name. Cars, trucks, trailers, railcars, containers and boats can be tracked, using GPS car tracking.
The market for GPS vehicle tracking systems is considered as one of the fasted growing markets for GPS applications. There are many levels of sophistication, but what all systems have in common is a GPS receiver and software to put the tracking results on a map. The differences in mapping programs are huge and it is very difficult to judge in advance how well these software solutions will perform.
Two main categories of GPS car tracking solutions are the ‘passive’ systems and the ‘real time’ systems. Passive systems store the gathered data in their internal memory and the owner has only access to the data when the unit returns to ... |
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Every semester of every year you can read hundreds of reports where a woman was physically assaulted on campus. While colleges and universities have tried to step up security patrols, especially at night, reports of attacks and attempted rape continue to persist. While there are precautions a woman can take to lessen the chances of becoming a victim, one of the best weapons she can have at her disposal when confronted in a threatening situation is a shot of pepper spray. A less than $20, the MACE Keyguard Pepper Spray is compact, convenient, and has a key ring that easily attaches to your house, dorm room, car, and other keys you carry. Be alert, be cautious, and be prepared.
http://www.thecoverteye.com/preview/m7/80365--mace-key-guard-pepper-spray.html
http://www.athensohiotoday.com/news/woman-uses-pepper-spray-to-allegedly-fight-off-attacker/article_00fc4e80-8d84-55d7-a989-90264ed2f3be.html
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Delta S Counter-Surveillance Sweeping System
Both Easy to learn and powerful the Delta S is a sweeping system that quickly and reliably detects all types of RF surveillance device up to 6GHz. The spectral analysis provides high sensitivity and a long detection distance of more then 10 to 20 times that of other RF detectors and near-field receivers. Plus the Delta S has a special mode to detect cellular jamming devices.
Quickly and reliably detects all types of RF surveillance devices in the range up to 6 GHz, including analog, digital, working continuously and periodically, transmitting audio or video, with or without encryption
Finds and identifies covert surveillance devices which use the digital standards GSM, 3G, 4G / LTE, 5G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, DECT and others in the range up to 6 GHz
Analyzes Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Wi-Fi 5 GHz, Bluetooth, “Bluetooth LE” and “Bluetooth LE Advertising” channels
The background masking feature allows you to reject friendly signals such as television, radio, mobile base stations, etc., and focus on finding local signals that pose a danger
Can be quickly adjusted to the local frequency allocation in the country of use (mobile and wireless bands)
High-speed spectrum updating and wide real-time bandwidth (RTBW) provide the ability to register short-burst signals
Search modes include: "All Signals", "Mobile/GPS trackers", "Wireless/ISM" and "Custom", as well as two additional modes for the inspection of suspicious bands or signals
Two antenna inputs and built-in antenna switch provide maximum sensitivity over the entire frequency range
Unlimited number of logs, each can contain an unlimited history of events
Unlimited number of logs, each can contain an unlimited history of events
The audio alarm warns the user about the presence of danger with a sound of variable intensity
The attenuator simplifies location of powerful transmitters
The "Hold maximum danger" feature automatically displays the most dangerous band or signal
Demodulation of audio in AM/FM mode
Works with, and is powered by, a laptop or tablet (not included)
Has convenient magnetic system for attaching the laptop / tablet to the main unit
Specifications:
Frequency range 57-6000 MHz
Sweeping speed 8 GHz per second
ADC resolution 12 bit
Sensitivity -85 dB
Dynamic range 80 dB (with attenuator)
Displayed signal level -90…-10 dB
Real-time bandwidth (RTBW) 27 MHz
Format Handheld unit
Platform SDR by Analog Device Antenna inputs INPUT 1 – SMA, 57-2000 MHz INPUT 2 – SMA, 2000-6000 MHz
Searching modes and time of update • All signals (~0.8 s) • Mobile/GPS trackers (~0.2 s) • Wireless/ISM (~0.3 s) • Inspect band/signal (~0.1-0.2 s)
Visual elements (panels) • Level • Spectrum + Waterfall • Alarms
Demodulation AM and FM with bandwidth 5, 15, 30, 100 and 200 kHz (in the range 70-6000 MHz)
Requirements for laptop / tablet Intel Core і3 / AMD Ryzen 3 or better (recommended Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 5) 2 USB ports, one should be of SuperSpeed type (USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 or USB Type C) RAM 8 Gb or more SSD 128 Gb or more Windows 8,10,11. Screen size 12-14”
Powered by USB-port of laptop / tablet
Battery resource 1-1.5 hour
Duration of work from AC Unlimited
Displayed spectrum span 2 - 6000 MHz
Range of working temperature -5°C…+45°C / 23°F … 113°F
Signal Strength
5G
GPS
CDMA
GSM
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi
LTE
Analog Signals
Digital Signals
3G
4G
Detection Range
Up to 6 Ghz
Shipping Dimensions:
20" x 16.5" x 8.25"
Shipping Weight
18 Lbs
Included:
Main unit
Carry case
USB drive with software and user manual
1- Omni-directed wideband antenna ODA-4
1- Microwave antenna MWA-6 1
1- Microwave antenna LPDA-12 4
4- Magnetic sticker for laptop or tablet
2- Adapter USB type C – USB type A
Download Delta S manual
Standard shipping is FREE for all retail orders totaling $100.00 or more! (48 Continental US orders only) Flat rate of $8.50 shipping applies to orders under $100.00.
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11990.00 |
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Orion 2.4 Non-Linear Junction Detector
New Smaller, lighter, 2.4 GHz transmit frequency. A Non-Linear Junction Detector detects the presence of electronics, regardless of whether the electronic target is radiating, hard wired, or even turned off. The ORION 2.4 quickly detects and locates all hidden electronic surveillance devices.
DIGITAL MODULATION & CORRELATION: provides improved detection & minimizes interference.
WIDE BANDWIDTH TRANSMIT SIGNAL: 1.25MHz increases detection sensitivity
MULTIPLE ALERT METHODS: Alert tones and vibration alert can be selected to alert when signal levels surpass the trip levels
LINE OF SIGHT ANTENNA MOUNTED DISPLAY: allows user to focus eyes on sweeping target and display at same time.
2.4 GHz TRANSMIT FREQUENCY: for detecting small electronics
MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC POWER CONTROL: up to 3.3 watts
SMALL LIGHTWEIGHT: weighs 2.8 lbs/1.3 kg
INTEGRATED TELESCOPING POLE
SYNTHESIZED TRANSCEIVER: frequency stability and agility to automatically search for clean operating frequencies (2.404GHz - 2.472GHz).
CIRCULARLY POLARIZED TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE ANTENNA: removes risk of missing a threat due to incorrect antenna polarization.
Specifications:
Display:
Antenna-mounted Display
Bar Graph Display for transmit power level, 2nd harmonic level, 3rd harmonic level, data field display, for other information (operation mode, low battery, volume, DSP gain, etc.)
Transmitter
Frequency Bands: 2.404GHz-2.472GHZ
Transmit Channels: Manual or auto selection, more than 60 available
Transmit Power: 3.3 watts E.I.R.P.
Power Control: Manual or Auto Control
Transmit Modulation: Digital 1.24 MHz BW
Receiver:
Simultaneous 2nd & 3rd harmonic receive Digitally Correlated
Frequency Bands: Transmit Band (2.404GHz - 2.472GHz); Second Harmonic (4.808GHz - 4.944GHz); Third Harmonic (7.212GHz - 7.416GHz)
Sensitivity:140 dBm for both harmonics
Battery Specifications:
Input AC: 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz
Run Time: >8 hours per battery (typical)
Charge Time: 2.5 hours per battery (typical)
Batteries: Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery (2 included)
Extension Lengths:16-51 in (40.6-129.5 cm)
Overall Length Extended: 58 in (1.5 m)
Case Dimensions: 6.25 in x 14.9 in x 18.5 in (15.9 cm x 37.8 cm x 47.0 cm)
ORION 2.4 Dim: 22.4 in x 3.75 in x 3 in (57 cm x 9cm x 7.5 cm)
ORION 2.4 Weight w/Battery: 2.8 lbs (1.3kg)
Case Weight Including ORION 2.4 & Accessories: 11.6 lbs (5.2kg)
Standard shipping is FREE for all retail orders totaling $100.00 or more! (48 Continental US orders only) Flat rate of $8.50 shipping applies to orders under $100.00.
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14900.00 |
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Phone Safe Ultra
Out of Stock
Stop accidental info leakage in conference rooms or group meetings with the PHONE SAFE ULTRA. Mobile phones have an infinite number of benefits for communication and business; however, they also create certain threats of information leakage. One of the potential leakage channels is the phone's microphone picking up surrounding acoustics with a high sensitivity. The PHONE SAFE ULTRA has been developed by information security professionals to protect against this exact type of threat.
While developing this product the following features and vulnerabilities of modern mobile phones were taken into account:
• The smart phone can be intentionally, or covertly, ‘off-hook’ during important negotiations
• Voice recording software can intentionally, or secretly, run on the smartphone
• Listening software can run in a ‘stealth’ mode
• Spyware can be installed on the smartphone without the owner's knowledge, allowing attackers to activate covert eavesdropping around the phone. There are known cases of transmission of such software by exploiting the vulnerabilities of some messengers
• The acoustic environment around the phone can be transmitted to the server, or cloud service of the attackers either in real time or with a postponed uploading
• Smartphone apps which have access to the phone's microphone can be used for eavesdropping in cases of them having been hacked (usually messengers or social network apps)
• Uploading of information can be done in the following ways: Conventional voice call; Mobile internet; Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; The phone's connector
Other audio security devices use radio interference to protect conversations. Unfortunately, the creation of radio interference (RF jamming mobile communications, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) does not guarantee protection: there is still the possibility of accumulating information in the phone's memory (voice recorder mode). Given this factor, the only reliable way to protect is to block the phone's acoustic channel. This prevents acoustic information from leaking, regardless of how it is listened to or transmitted. A number of modern technologies have been used in the PHONE SAFE ULTRA device for your protection.
Features:
• Blocks the microphone of the phone with the help of non-filterable ultrasonic interference
• Efficiently prevents surround recording app from capturing conversations and sounds
• The frequency of interference has been optimally selected for the best performance and affects all existing models of smartphones
• Made with the design of an attractive natural wood stand
• The acoustically isolated phone can remain close to the owner where the screen can be easily observed
• The phone stays online and available for incoming calls
• No illegal radio jamming
• Can be powered by the external USB, or from the built-in rechargeable battery
• Has 2 sensors, increasing the battery’s resource: the device starts producing interference when a phone is inserted (IN USE sensor) and a conversation is present (ACTIVITY sensor)
• The rechargeable battery provides a continuous working time of 6 hours if the USB source is unavailable
• Is compatible with all types of phones (max. width 88 mm)
Specifications
• Power of noise <2 W in the active area
• Guaranteed suppression area 10 cm from the transducer
• Power Source1) USB 5V 2) Built-in rechargeable battery
• Current consumption 500 mA (noise mode) 5 mA (stand-by mode)
• Current consumption 500 mA (noise mode) 5 mA (stand-by mode)
• Battery Li-Ion, 3.2 В, 3200 mAh
• Connector Mini USB;
• Battery resource 6 hours
• Recharging time 6 hours
Download Manual
Includes:
• PHONE SAFE ULTRA device
• Mini USB cable
• Transparent cover
• User manual
Standard shipping is FREE for all retail orders totaling $100.00 or more! (48 Continental US orders only) Flat rate of $8.50 shipping applies to orders under $100.00
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489.00 |
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“As diligent and hardworking as campus police are, they cannot protect all the many people on campus at all time, so let those folks protect themselves.”
State Representative Buzz Brockway plans to file a bill next week that would let students at least 18 years of age carry electroshock weapons on all of Georgia's public campuses. The bill, according to Brockway, was written after he discover...ed students are allowed to carry pepper spray on campus but not Tasers or stun-guns.
Many Georgia lawmakers are pushing for legislation that would permit students to carry handguns on campus but state law currently prohibits concealed handgun license holders from exercising their rights on school grounds. Most efforts to bring guns to campus have stalled at the capitol because university presidents oppose the idea. House Bill 544, which would allow anyone to carry guns on Georgia's public campuses, was introduced in 2015 but has not received a committee hearing.
“Students told me they were not allowed to carry pepper spray with them on campus. I thought this was strange so I did some research. I found they were mistaken, and they are allowed to possess pepper spray and similar chemically based protection items. However, several of the public colleges I examined in Georgia explicitly prohibited stun-guns and Tasers on campus. So I decided to introduce a bill to change that,” Brockway told Campus Reform.
Brockway added that he thinks campus police departments are not staffed well enough to account for all of the crimes on campus.
“What I hear from students, faculty, and other campus employees, especially folks at colleges and universities in the city of Atlanta, is a desire to protect themselves,” he said. “As diligent and hardworking as campus police are, they cannot protect all the many people on campus at all time, so let those folks protect themselves.”
Some state senators, however, have raised concerns about the safety of stun-guns. Senator Vincent Fort said Tasers in the hands of college students could lead to many accidental injuries. Brockway disagrees and thinks students who purchase stun-guns will be responsible enough to avoid injuries.
“Pepper spray is allowed and we don't see much misuse of those products on college campuses. I think the people who will choose to purchase electroshock weapons for their personal protection will act responsibly,” Brockway argued.
Unlike campus carry legislation, Brockway's bill would not require students to pass a background check before purchasing a stun-gun.
“As best I can tell, there is currently no requirement in Georgia law for screening or training before purchasing Tasers, stun guns or other electroshock weapons and my bill does not require those things either,” he said.
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How to protect yourself from Russian hackers who stole whopping 1.2 billion passwords across globe.
If you've ever used a computer, you might want to change your passwords.
A Russian crime gang has compiled the biggest known collection of... stolen Internet information, swiping 1.2 billion usernames and passwords from nearly half a million websites, a Tuesday report revealed.
The small group of hackers, nicknamed CyberVor, also has 542 million email addresses on file, the New York Times reported
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/russian-hackers-stole-1-2-billion-passwords-safe-article-1.1893695#ixzz39qWW9s3J
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As a parent, our primary role is to protect our children, but for many of us it's not possible to keep a watch on them 24 hours a day. When leaving for work in the morning it's natural to experience some anxiety when leaving our children with another person. This may be the nanny, a babysitter, or even a family friend. To help ease that anxiety of leaving children under the care of someone else, many parents are choosing to install a "Nanny Cam" to keep an eye on how the caregiver is behaving with their children.
Unless you're intimately familiar with the person who will be caring for your children while you're at work, finding someone you can entrust your children to and feel good about is your first concern. Remember, people have a tendency to present themselves one way in your presence, and then act differently when you're gone. Ask yourself these questions:
1. Is the babysitter or nanny the only one around your child when you leave? Do their friends or boyfriends enter your home after you've gone?
2. Have any of your personal items gone missing without explanation? Jewelry and cash are the usual targets.
3. Is your nanny or caregiver watching TV and talking on the phone all day? Is your child being neglected?
4. Does your nanny or babysitter have a drug or alcohol abuse problem?
5. Worse of all, are they abusing your child? Verbal and physical abuse of children happens every day in this country.
Why a Nanny Cam?
Recently, there have been a lot of cases of abuse from caregivers that have gained media attention. While it's not advised to believe that all nannies have the potential to mistreat children, it is still a problem that should cause some concern. While many potentially abusive nannies can be screened out during the proper interview process, it can still be difficult to know when you're choosing a nanny that is truly dedicated to keeping your children safe.
For a concerned parent, a Nanny Cam can help you gain insight in how your nanny is interacting with your children while you're away. It can either provide you with peace of mind, or allow you to identify a potentially dangerous situation for your children.
What kind of Nanny Camera should I get?
Basically, a “Nanny Cam” is a hidden camera that you install in a non-visible location inside your home. This camera may be hidden in a potted plant, a stuffed animal, a desk lamp, or other household object. The primary purpose of the camera is to allow you to see how a caregiver interacts with your children when you're not around. The two main types of cameras are wired and wireless. As the name implies, wired cameras are direct connected to a PC or some other kind of recording device, like a VCR. This is the most economical option, but concealing the cable can sometimes be a bit of a problem, especially if you're running it for several feet. A wireless camera solves that problem by eliminating the cable, and all come with a 2.4 GHz receiver which connects to the PC or recorder. Signal strength is around 300 feet. With either camera you would press “record” before leaving in the morning and “stop” when you return. You then open the video file you've created and fast forward until something catches your attention. Depending on how many hours you've recorded, this can be very time consuming.
Motion Activated Nanny Cam
Using a motion activated nanny cam is a bit better option. Whenever motion is detected within its sensing range, the camera comes on to trigger the recording device (PC, VCR, DVD) to start recording. When motion stops, it automatically resets itself to standby again to await the next movement. This makes the viewing of the captured video much easier.
The StealthCam Option
The StealthCam systems are the next step up in hidden cameras. They feature the camera and the digital video recorder in one self-contained unit. They also have an “adjustable” motion activated recording system built in, so basically all you need to do is plug it in, turn it on with the included IR remote control, and you're good to go.
The StealthCam system records onto an SD memory card, which can be found everywhere. All of today's digital cameras use SD cards. The StealthCam systems can support up to 32GB, which is inserted into a hidden slot somewhere on the camera.
The StealthCam systems can either record full motion video (30fps) or take snapshot pictures every 3 seconds while motion is detected. Video is best, although it consumes roughly 1GB for every 2.5 hours of video. StealthCam nanny cams can be found in everything, from clocks and radios to stuff bears and picture frames. To see what the camera has captured, either remove the SD card and pop into your PC or card reader, or connect the included USB cable right from the camera to your computer.
A StealthCam system with built-in DVR (SD card) is the most popular nanny cam on the market. Although they have typically cost more than wired or wireless cameras, the prices continue to fall. The technology has also improved, to where now you can get a simple working pen or wristwatch with the same built-in recording ability for just over $100. In fact, with a StealthCam system being disguised into so many common everyday household products, you could afford to place a motion activated nanny cam into two or three rooms of your house.
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Not long ago I spoke on the phone with a friend of mine, John, who teaches high school in central California. He'd been at the school now for about eight years, but had been teaching English for close to 20. Since he came to his present position I would often hear stories of his frustration in trying to maintain a level of discipline and learning in the classroom, while often being at odds with the administration office. Actually, it was a frustration felt by many teachers in the school. It was a school run amok, or as John put it, one where the students were running the asylum. Without getting into the whole educational debate and the lack of funding for many of our schools in this country, the basic complaint that was heard here was the lack of support given to teachers from the District Office on down. Teachers were not only questioned if they handed out “D's” and “F's”, but if a student was sent to the principal's office for violation of school policy or for disrupting the class, they were sent back to class almost immediately with hardly a reprimand. Over time this only usurped the teacher's authority, and gave the upper hand to the students. Teaching at the school was hard enough. It ranked in the lower third, academically, and the socio-economic background of the student population was lower middle-class, with many parents out of work or on welfare. Theft and drugs were two other growing issues, and then there began a more serious one where many students started becoming confrontational. A student threatening a teacher wasn't unheard of, and when that threat was brought to the school principal it was usually shrugged off, or the teacher was made to feel they had aggravated the situation with the student. It wasn't surprising that teacher turnover was also becoming a growing concern. John said he, too, would have left last year, but with two more years to go before he could retire with his pension he elected to stick it out.
“A lot of the problem stems from the parents,” John said. “Very few show up on parent/teacher nights, and fewer still take a hand in instructing their kids at home or seeing that their homework is done on time. But catch a kid cheating on a test, or smoking a joint in the bathroom, or try suspending a student for stealing, fighting or verbally abusing a teacher, and the next day you have the parents in the administration office threatening the school with lawsuits. The school backs down, the district office backs down, and everything gets swept under the rug. It's too messy and costly, and administrators don't want to jeopardize their jobs, let alone the possibility of losing federal education dollars.”
This year, though, a new high school principal came onboard. He had been a Vice-Principal at a high school in west L.A. This one seemed different, and while he made it known that one of his goals was to raise academic achievement, he was also a no non-sense type of person. One of his first agendas was to meet with the entire teaching staff before the start of the semester and get their feedback on where improvements can be made, and what the problems were they faced in the classroom and in the hallways. He listened for over two hours as incident after incident was recited, and heard the frustration they were feeling. With that, he promised to try and institute some changes, and then a few days later met with the district superintendent about the problems his staff and school were facing. One of the suggestions he proposed was to install hidden cameras in strategic locations throughout the school. He related how they had used them in his old school, and how they were both effective and inexpensive. It would also aid him in enforcing school more forcefully. Letters would be sent out to all parents informing them of the new security procedures in place, and a list of what was expected of each student and of the guidelines and rules that would be in place. Perhaps a bit surprisingly, his suggestion was approved, and since he was simply expanding the few security cameras they had outside the school already, he got the backing of the school board as well.
One of the first things they did was to replace all the wall clocks with new ones, but ones with tiny cameras and built-in DVRs for recording. Video is captured on a small SD card that can be easily removed for later playback on any PC. He also added two spy cameras to the library; a desk lamp on one of the back reading tables, and a book camera that sat on the librarian's reference shelf. Both, recording onto internal DVRs. They could also be set to motion detect mode for after school hours.
Also functioning as surveillance cameras were the exits signs at the end of the hallways. Looking just like the ones they replaced, the pinhole cameras inside of these could record video even in low light conditions. In addition to the cameras, the principal also installed PIR motion sensors in rooms and areas not already covered by video. These would trigger an alarm if anyone were to enter a room they shouldn't be in, or enter after hours.
The principal then met with his staff once again and explained the monitoring systems that had been put in place. He also encouraged them to help in the school's goal to reduce and minimize student's misbehavior and to enforce a code of conduct in the classroom, including how assignments were to be done and turned in on time. He then showed them a pen camera that he took from his shirt pocket and the watch camera he had on his wrist. Working just like the hidden cameras that had been placed around the school, these two everyday items could also record video as well as audio. He suggested that these, and many other similar type objects, might be something they'd want to consider investing in. Inexpensive as well, they could be carried around easily and provide a measure of security when in the classroom or when outside the range of the security cameras. This was not only for the school's and the student's safety, but for that of the teachers as well.
At the beginning of the school year it became a bit amusing to watch many of the students as they walked the halls and went from one class to another. Knowing that the school was taking a stricter stance on behavior and had added new surveillance cameras throughout the building, they seemed puzzled when looking around to find where exactly the new cameras were placed. Expecting the typical surveillance camera mounted on a corner wall, as seen in most office buildings, they failed to see anything out of the ordinary. During the first few weeks the students had a feeling of caution and there was not one incident of misconduct reported. However, after a while a few began to suspect whether the new system actually existed or not. When the first student was called into the principal's office for fighting another student by the lockers, and a second was called in for sneaking a periodical out of the library, they had but few words and even more astonished faces when presented with the video evidence as it played on the principal's laptop. Word quickly spread from there, and while the majority of the student body never caught on to where the cameras actually were, the number of incidents involving thefts, fighting, vandalism, and classroom disruptions were severely reduced.
There was one other incident that did occur later in the semester, and this one set the tone that the school was serious in its new policies. A math teacher was accosted in the parking lot one day by a student of his, whom he had given a failing grade to on a test a day earlier, and then told to leave the classroom when he became verbally abusive. Seeking his retribution outside the eyes of any cameras, he waited for the teacher as he was leaving, and then pushed him against his car. In no uncertain words, he swore and threatened to physically injure him if he ever again failed him on a test or embarrassed him by sending him to the office during class. Shaken, but otherwise ok, the teacher reported the incident to the new principal. Fortunately, he had heeded his administrator's advice earlier in the year and had purchased a pen camera that he used mostly for grading papers. He really hadn't used it for much else. When he saw the student approach him, though, his reflex was to push the clicker on the pen which was in his shirt pocket. By doing so it had recorded the entire confrontation. When a call was made to the parents later that evening informing them of the incident and that their son was being suspended from school, it triggered an outburst from the other end of the line. As expected, the next morning saw both parents at the school demanding to see the principal. How dare he suspend their son. And what kind of teachers were they hiring in this school? According to their son, it was the teacher who had it in for him and purposely failed him on the test. More than likely because their son was Latino. Furthermore, they had it from their son that he only approached his math teacher as he was leaving to ask him a question, and inquire how he might pick up his grade by doing extra credit. By their account, it was the teacher who became physically and verbally abusive. The father again brought up racial bias as being at the root of all this, and vowed that they would be meeting with their lawyer that afternoon to file charges against the school. He was not about to let it rest.
The principal listened patiently as the parents unleashed their anger, and then calmly informed them that the whole incident had been caught and recorded on video. He brought up the clip on his laptop, hit play, and turned the monitor around so they could watch and listen. It lasted less than a minute, but the silence that filled the room was deafening. The father swallowed hard while the mother turned her head to look away. The words came hard, but the father acknowledged that a mistake had been made. Their son hadn't been truthful with them, and this seem to hurt just as much as witnessing their son's grievous actions. With humility, the father apologized for their outburst and then for their son's behavior. He accepted the suspension, and promised the principal that he would come down with his own form of punishment at home. He thought he had raised his son better than that, but apparently he took too much at face value and missed many of the warning signs. He vowed that if his son was allowed back, he would return with a new attitude.
That was the last major incident to have happened at the school, and while there continued to be some rumblings from parents about legalities and privacy issues, there were no violations of the law. What was seen, though, at the end of the school year was a dramatic reduction in theft, vandalism, and misbehavior, and a marked improvement in overall grades and test scores. Admittedly, even many of the students agreed that the cameras had made an improvement and provided a sense of security in the school that they hadn't felt before. Do we need more surveillance measures in our lives, and should all schools adopt this same policy? I don't think so. Hidden cameras do serve a purpose and when used judiciously can be an effective tool to alleviate a growing problem or concern. In this instance, and quite possibly for many other similar schools in our cities across the country, a system of hidden cameras may be the answer to creating a safer learning environment, and allowing our teachers to do more teaching and less policing in the classroom.
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