The NYPD is in hot water with civil rights groups over its controversial Stop-and-Frisk policy. But NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly has a solution — handheld weapons scanners that see guns under clothing! Fourth Amendment? What’s that?
As Kelly told a State of the NYPD breakfast Tuesday, the department is developing a mobile, infrared scanner mechanism that would allow officers to detect concealed weapons similar to the way that full-body scanners at airports work. The US Department of Defense is also working with the NYPD to develop the technology, though details are still rather scarce.
Currently the technology only has a range of around 1m, requiring the officers to still actually interact with the citizenry presumed criminals. The NYPD hopes to eventually extend the range to 25m and mount it atop a police van. This would allow the cops to simply cruise down a street and scan everybody on the footpath without having to let them know they’ve just been searched. [NY PostGothamist via DVice]
eckythump
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 1:32 PMWon’t be long now, US citizens will have to be tattooed across the forehead and carry a biometric ID at all times or face arrest! Ok, maybe not quite that far, but bloody hell, it don’t look good over there!
Drew
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 2:17 PMAnd the reason behind the push for this technology? Guns.
Most of their problems stem from guns, unfortunately some think that the solution is more guns.
eckythump
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 2:24 PMGet no argument from me! The gun lobby is one of the most powerful organizations in the US. “From my cold dead hand”
WolfDog
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 11:13 PMWhat happens when they scan and find a CCW, will they taser and shoot the guy first and then find out it was legal, then try and act as if he pulled the weapon on them.
What about invasion of privacy and forcefully dosing them with radiation.
Can’t they just do it normally and search these people properly without using paramilitary machines.
Glen
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 1:45 PMWhen cops become the criminals, there is no law.
These scanners use microwaves that damage DNA, you can’t microwave people walking freely in public places.
These scanners also reveal the naked body. NYPD will be getting their jollies scanning every woman in New York.