rockin'robin
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Proposal's Critics Cite Privacy Concerns From Devices That Would Be Used By Police
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A proposal by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson to give officers technology used by the military to see through walls is raising eyebrows.
The technology would give officers the ability to see where people are inside a building or house before they go inside.
Nelson said the detector would keep officers safer, but some believe it would be an invasion of privacy.
The idea comes days after two St. Petersburg police officers were killed by a fugitive hiding in an attic.
Greg DiFranza, who trains police officers to deal with difficult and dangerous situations, admitted that certain situations officers deal with can be very frightening.
"You have that unknown person standing there, and until this door comes open, you have no idea what's on the other side," DiFranza said.
Nelson, who wants to cut down on that anxiety and danger, wrote a letter to the U.S. attorney general hoping to equip police with the radar devices that can essentially see through walls.
"The use of the new technologies could greatly shift the odds in favor of the good guys because they have to go into a building where some bad guy is hiding out," Nelson said. "So we should arm our law enforcement officers with the tools that they need to protect themselves."
"The technology has been out there for a while now, and it actually needs to come to the forefront quicker," DiFranza said.
The images returned are far from crystal clear, but they could help officers know what kind of situation they're entering.
"If we could make those decisions and adjust tactics before we go in there, it would be safer not only for the officers, but also for the suspects who are inside," DiFranza said.
Critics note several downsides. They said the technology is not cheap and costs up to $200,000. It also brings into question a person's Fourth Amendment rights, the right to privacy.
University of North Florida political scientist Nicholas Seabrook said police would be able to use the devices if they follow very strict rules.
"If law enforcement want to make use of these kinds of technologies, they need to have a warrant first, and that's a very important distinction within the constitutional sense, whether it's a search with a warrant or a warrantless search, which would be unconstitutional."
Cops To Get See-Through-Walls Radars? - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A proposal by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson to give officers technology used by the military to see through walls is raising eyebrows.
The technology would give officers the ability to see where people are inside a building or house before they go inside.
Nelson said the detector would keep officers safer, but some believe it would be an invasion of privacy.
The idea comes days after two St. Petersburg police officers were killed by a fugitive hiding in an attic.
Greg DiFranza, who trains police officers to deal with difficult and dangerous situations, admitted that certain situations officers deal with can be very frightening.
"You have that unknown person standing there, and until this door comes open, you have no idea what's on the other side," DiFranza said.
Nelson, who wants to cut down on that anxiety and danger, wrote a letter to the U.S. attorney general hoping to equip police with the radar devices that can essentially see through walls.
"The use of the new technologies could greatly shift the odds in favor of the good guys because they have to go into a building where some bad guy is hiding out," Nelson said. "So we should arm our law enforcement officers with the tools that they need to protect themselves."
"The technology has been out there for a while now, and it actually needs to come to the forefront quicker," DiFranza said.
The images returned are far from crystal clear, but they could help officers know what kind of situation they're entering.
"If we could make those decisions and adjust tactics before we go in there, it would be safer not only for the officers, but also for the suspects who are inside," DiFranza said.
Critics note several downsides. They said the technology is not cheap and costs up to $200,000. It also brings into question a person's Fourth Amendment rights, the right to privacy.
University of North Florida political scientist Nicholas Seabrook said police would be able to use the devices if they follow very strict rules.
"If law enforcement want to make use of these kinds of technologies, they need to have a warrant first, and that's a very important distinction within the constitutional sense, whether it's a search with a warrant or a warrantless search, which would be unconstitutional."
Cops To Get See-Through-Walls Radars? - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville
