HIDDEN SPY CAMERAS COMING TO PHOENIX POLICE OFFICERS

Product Categories

Surveillance

Home and Family

Self Defense

Stun Guns TASERS Pepper Spray PepperBall Launchers & Guns Animal Repellents Folding Knives Pen Knives Comb Knives Throwing Knives Swordsticks Kubatons Steel Batons Tonfa Police Baton

Ninja Gear

Ninja Throwing Stars Ninja Shurikens Ninja Throwing Spikes Ninja Nunchucks Ninja Climbing Gear Ninja Grappling Hook Ninja Tactical Gear Ninja Target Board

Police Gear

Police Supplies Hand Held Metal Scanners Handcuffs Police Batons Tonfa Police Baton SAP Gloves Security Guard Package

Sporting Goods

Unique Backpacks / Slings & Totes Blow Guns Blowgun Accessories Crossbow Slingshot Throwing Knives

Welcome to The Covert Eye Message Board

This Message Board is here to provide information, tips, news, and articles pertaining to safe-guarding your home and family, as well as meeting all your personal protection and security needs. We encourage your feedback to any of the topics posted by leaving your comments or questions below each. If you're already receiving our newsletter you may use the same email address and password to log on here, but we ask that you first become a member.

< SIX WAYS TO STAY SAFER

SELF DEFENSE AND THE USE OF NON-LETHAL WEAPONS >

HIDDEN SPY CAMERAS COMING TO PHOENIX POLICE OFFICERS

September 7th, 2011 at 9:10 pm star

As many as 50 Phoenix police officers may soon be wearing tiny convert video surveillance cameras as part of their uniform accouterment if a $500,000 grant is approved in early September through a joint partnership with Arizona State University and the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant is being called The Smart Policing Initiative.

Earlier this spring, a pilot program was tested with 18 officers wearing the small hidden spy cameras attached to their uniform in an effort to increase police transparency with the public. The three month trial, which concluded in June, resulted in 860 hours worth of video. From among the recordings, portions of the footage will be used as evidence in 62 cases going before the court.

The spy camera is worn like a Bluetooth device around the ear, and can be turned on and off from a remote control on the chest. A pocket recorder, or small video monitor, is attached to the belt. Once activated, video can't be edited or deleted.

Arizona law requires at least one person be aware they are being recorded, although the law is not well defined in how that is communicated or acknowledged, and can likely not even register depending on the situation or number of persons being confronted by officers. During the trial period some citizens did key in on the cameras being worn and asked if they were being recorded.

During the pilot program, Phoenix police tested Scottsdale-based TASER International's Axon cameras, which are more obvious in their appearance than traditional covert cameras of the same type, and come with a more heftier price tag. The cost of Axon cameras are about $1,700, plus an annual $1,200 each to archive the video footage. Likewise, a comparable wireless Bluetooth covert camera from any local security store runs about $200. The grant doesn't specify which brand of cameras are to be used, but does require the police agency to enlist a research partner. In the case of Phoenix it will be A.S.U., who will collect and analyze the data and calculate the effectiveness of their efforts.

The “Candid-Camera” officer video pilot program was one of 34 recommendations developed by a Phoenix task force last January to help improve relations between the police department and the community. The task force came into being in April, 2010, after several incidents involving the police angered citizens, including a March 2010 incident which saw City Councilman Michael Johnson, an Afro-American, wrestled to the ground and handcuffed by a White police officer.

With the eye of “Big Brother” becoming more prevalent in our daily lives now, and technology providing a video recorder to anyone with a cell phone, providing police officers with a wearable video recording device is the logical next step in the progression. How this plays out over time and the legal impact it could carry will be questions that will no doubt be discussed, but for now it may give us pause to be mindful of what we say and how we respond the next time we are confronted by an officer of the law.

Posted in Hidden Cameras by Admin

< Return to Post List

Eric says:

September 7th, 2011 at 9:56 pm star

Most of the incidents involving police and civilians that gets captured on video from a passerby's cell phone usually captures the confrontation after its already begun; ala the Rodney King incident. Perhaps having cops with cameras will show us what led up to the incident to begin with.

Name *

Email *

Spam Protection

The Covert Eye

3317 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix, AZ. 85032
Suite 101-101

(602)734-5345 Fax: (602)734-5489
Info@thecoverteye.com

Hidden Cameras and Nanny Cams

Clock Radio Hidden Camera | Table Lamp Hidden Camera | Wall Clock Hidden Cameras

Electrical Box Hidden Camera | Exit Sign Hidden Camera | DVD Recorder Hidden Camera

Wrist Watch Hidden Camera | Motion Detector Hidden Camera | Smoke Detector Hidden

Camera | Boom Box Hidden Camera | Spy Pen Hidden Camera | Eye Glass Hidden Camera | Water

Audio Recorders | Security Surveillance Systems | GPS Tracking Systems | Steel Batons

All orders are shipped the same day or within 24 hours via UPS ground or USPS Priority Mail. Please provide a physical address and not a PO Box since UPS can not deliver to a PO Box. If you would like to mail or fax your order in, please use our order form.

Be assured that your shopping experience is completely safe. The order site is secured using a SSL Web Server Certificate which encrypts all data to and from the site. You can be assured of the security of your information. You can shop at www.thecoverteye.com online with confidence. We have partnered with Authorize.Net, a leading payment gateway since 1996, to offer safe and secure credit card and electronic check transactions for our customers. www.thecoverteye.com is registered with the Authorize.Net Verified Merchant Seal Program. ll orders are shipped the same day or within 24 hours via UPS ground or USPS Priority Mail. Please provide a physical address and not a PO Box since UPS can not deliver to a PO Box. If you would like to mail or fax your order in, please use our order form.