New York proposes mini-cams for police handguns

It seems to me that adding a camera, light and recorder/microphone will make the firearm unwieldy, heavy to carry, awkward and potentially dangerous to use. Most importantly the device will not show what lead up to the firearm being deployed, the factual events which are critical to evaluate the situation after the fact. In fact, the events after the deployment of the firearm could be skewed to the advantage of the bad guy with very little stage management. And last but not least it will make an excellent target for anyone wanting to shoot a cop at the moment of armed conflict. Of course the officer could take time to turn the light off further delaying critical response.
This appears to be yet another knee jerk reaction that will do little, if anything, positive but will make the Senator look like he is "doing something" - no matter how ill considered.

jimmr wrote:

It seems to me that adding a camera, light and recorder/microphone will make the firearm unwieldy, heavy to carry, awkward and potentially dangerous to use. Most importantly the device will not show what lead up to the firearm being deployed, the factual events which are critical to evaluate the situation after the fact. In fact, the events after the deployment of the firearm could be skewed to the advantage of the bad guy with very little stage management. And last but not least it will make an excellent target for anyone wanting to shoot a cop at the moment of armed conflict. Of course the officer could take time to turn the light off further delaying critical response.
This appears to be yet another knee jerk reaction that will do little, if anything, positive but will make the Senator look like he is "doing something" - no matter how ill considered.

Your'e 100% right about that. I say place a camera and recording device on the officers chest opposite side of the badge to record his entire tour. His actions, demeanor and decisions can be monitored for review in the event of a shooting, excessive force allegation, or unethical behavior.

jimmr wrote:

It seems to me that adding a camera, light and recorder/microphone will make the firearm unwieldy, heavy to carry, awkward and potentially dangerous to use. Most importantly the device will not show what lead up to the firearm being deployed, the factual events which are critical to evaluate the situation after the fact.

You are obviously an intelligent person, capable of critical analysis.

That is far more than can be said for the moron who proposed this lame-brained idea. It's obviously another form of political grandstanding -- long on promise and rhetoric, short on substance. Make that, bankrupt on substance.

Good post, jimmr.

Evans wrote:

I say place a camera and recording device on the officers chest opposite side of the badge to record his entire tour. His actions, demeanor and decisions can be monitored for review in the event of a shooting, excessive force allegation, or unethical behavior.

I was about to say the same thing about having the officer WEAR a camera, and then realized you beat me to it.

There will OBVIOUSLY be police union opposition to either plan. Why? Because the police don't like to be held accountable, or scrutinized. Their well-known attitude -- that they should not be overseen, and that it is insulting to them that we would want to do so -- is antithetical to what their mission is supposed to be, which is to SERVE the PUBLIC.

"In a flash, a police officer draws a handgun from its holster. Less than two seconds later, a red laser and bright light shine at whatever is in the gun barrel's path while a mini-camera records it all."

Unless the cop "accidently" put a piece of tape or bubblegum over the camera lens.

Another major problem: cops who want to record a scene with a "convenient" camera and end up shooting people because they can't point the camera without also pointing the business end of a firearm at the same thing.

I say police should wear recorders that record 100% of their piggish behavior 100% of the time.

Wouldn't this be just the best use of funds?!! How about more training or something like that.?