High-speed police pursuits, as
readers are well aware, are dangerous and unpredictable. When a
suspect makes the decision to flee, he or she—realizing it or
not—leverages that danger against the pursuing officer's duty to uphold the law. The vast majority of chases are the result of non-violent crimes, a large percentage of which are traffic violations, but that
doesn't mean an officer can simply let every suspect go. When
engaging in a high-speed pursuit, an officer follows his or her
obligation to enforce the law, even as it poses a clear risk to
public safety (42% of those killed or injured in police pursuits areinnocent bystanders. One in every hundred high-speed pursuits results in a fatality). Research has shown that most suspects drive more
slowly and are less of a hazard on the road if they believe that they
are not being chased. In a perfect world, officers would never have to engage in dangerous chases, but as suspects continue to flee, they continue to be a part of police work.
The StarChase System aims to
reduce or eliminate the need for high-speed pursuits using a
projectile GPS device that would be right at home in a spy movie. An
air cannon mounted to the front of the patrol vehicle launches the projectile, or tag, which adheres to the suspect's vehicle. The tag, which is a bit smaller than a can of Coke, transmits a signal via satellite to a web server that can then be accessed remotely to monitor the suspect's location and movements. The officer is now able
to drop back, allowing police to strategically intervene at lower
speeds, reducing the risk to human life.
Extendobed has be designing and distributing products to business and law enforcement professionals for over 25 years. Their custom designs are suitable for all different types of professionals. However, their primary market is fire departments and law enforcement agencies.
Extendobed is the original manufacturer of the expandable truck bed liner. Extendo Bed is a truck bed extender that will carry a full cargo load over 1200 pounds & extend 100% beyond the length of the truck bed or SUV cargo area. These patented truck bed drawers are ideal for fire and police departments as a command center and emergency or first response, contractors, the military, farriers, or anyone else who needs easy access to their truck bed and tools.
Each bed extender is also extremely rugged and durable. Not only are they built to withstand a great deal of weight and cargo, they are durable enough to withstand every use and abuse. Extendobed actually boasts that many of their units, including the first one built in 1987, are still in service today. Now, that says a lot about the durability and life expectancy of one of these units!
You never know when you are going to be in or come upon an emergency situation. For that reason it is important that you have a first aid/survival kit in your car and ready to go at all time...because you never know when you're going to need it.
The big question is often, what do I put in it? Or, what should I have in my car?
Seatbelt Cutter / Window Punch - These are sold separately and as a single unit. Considering there is a great possibility of needing both for the same emergency, get the single unit! Unlike the rest of your emergency kit, this item should not be kept in your trunk. This item should be kept in the center console of your vehicle...where you can easily access it if you need to cut your own seatbelt to get out of your vehicle.
Charged Cell-Phone - Generally, this item is kept on your person, not in your emergency bag. However, it is important to make sure that it is well-charged, if not fully-charged, when you get in the car. Battery life in your cell phone could mean the life or death difference of contacting 911 in an emergency.
First Aid Kit - Your first aid kit should contain band-aids, gauze pads, adhesive tape, and antibacterial spray/ointment. If you would stop to help a vehicle on the side of the road, you might also want to include a few pairs of latex gloves and a CPR mask so that you can safely provide assistance to others.
Fire Extinguisher - The chance of using an extinguisher on your own vehicle is probably a little on the slim side. But, it could happen. Or you might need it for another person's vehicle. Any extinguisher should be rated for Class B or Class C fires.
Flashlight - You should have a flashlight and extra batteries in your kit. To ensure that your flashlight will work in various situations, it should be waterproof.
Reflectors - To keep yourself safe while changing a tire or to keep others from crashing into an accident, you should set up triangle reflectors. Safety officers recommend placing 3 triangles about 35-50 feet apart so that motorists have warning they are approaching an emergency prior to being on top of it...giving them time to slow down.
Blanket - Although many people might only think to put a blanket in their personal winter emergency vehicle kit in case they got stuck on the side of the road, it can be useful during summer months as well.
These are must haves for any first responder to have in their personal vehicle in case they come upon an accident. If you are looking to pack your personal emergency kit, you should also include a non-perishable food item (like protein bars), water, jumper cables, tire sealant, and a tire gauge.
With snowy winter days quickly approaching, OnSpot Automatic Tire Chains really caught my interest.
What Are OnSpot Automatic Tire Chains?
Unlike traditional tire chains that are wrapped around the tires when snowy weather is coming (or after it has arrived), OnSpot Automatic Tire Chains are always ready to go. They are permanently mounted on the vehicle (making you always prepared for inclement weather). OnSpot chains last longer as they are only used when needed, and there is no likelihood of wheel-well damage from broken chains. OnSpot chains are also D.O.T. approved in all fifty states (included chain controlled mountainous areas in Colorado and California).
How Do OnSpot Automatic Tire Chains work?
The OnSpot Automatic Tire chain offers the traction of a single set of
conventional snow chains at the flip of a switch, without having to stop the
vehicle. An electric switch mounted in the cab provides 12 volts to an air solenoid
mounted on the vehicle's frame rail. Compressed air to the solenoid is supplied
from either the vehicle's on-board air system or a 12-volt compressed air
kit. When the dashboard switch is activated, the solenoid opens allowing
compressed air to enter the air chamber and lower the chain wheel so it contacts
the inside of the tire. The friction between the tire and the rubber-covered
chain wheel causes the chainwheel to rotate, creating enough centrifugal force to
flail the chains out in front of the tire. Six lengths of chain spaced at 60-degree intervals on the chain wheel ensure
that there are always two chains between the tire and road surface whether
you are accelerating, braking or are in a wheel lockup condition. The traction
from the chain wheel is obtained in forward or reverse. When the dashboard switch is turned off, the solenoid exhausts the air
provided to the chain units and return springs in the air chambers bring the
chain wheels back to their resting position.
What Are The Applications For OnSpot Automatic Tire Chains?
Applications are virtually limitless. They can be mounted on delivery, construction, or emergency services vehicles. They would be particularly beneficial to emergency services vehicles, as emergency responders don't have the option to wait for inclement weather to pass before they are required to travel on the road. Having adequate traction on icy roads could actually be the determining factor in a life or death situation.
Automated License Plate Recognition, also known as ALPR, is one of the newest technologies to come available for police departments throughout the United States. ALPR is a surveillance method that uses optical character recognition to read the license plates of vehicles (either parked in a parking lot or driving on an interstate). In the United States ALPR is primarily used in the assistance of locating stolen vehicles, finding drivers with no insurance or suspended licenses, locating wanted persons, and even assisting with Amber Alerts.
How It Works
Recent changes in technology have made it possible to make ALPR mobile. A mobile system is generally mounted on a patrol vehicle. The cameras consist of infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED) illumination, an infrared camera, and a color camera. Infrared illumination is used as almost all license plates are highly reflective to infrared which provides effective license plate image capture during day or night, and also eliminates the variability of plate backgrounds and colors by providing a clear monochrome image of the license plate. The software algorithm identifies individual video frames containing a license plate image. The system will capture multiple images (one every 10-20 ms) of the plate as it passes through the field of view, with varying image capture settings with each picture to compensate for changing ambient conditions, plate-to-plate variability, and other variables. The cameras are very high speed, allowing for this process and effective image capture to take place at speeds of up to 160 mph. The system automatically processes all pictures and cross matches it with a pre-loaded database of vehicle license plates. If any suspicious vehicles are located, the officer is notified immediately on the Panasonic Toughbook or mobile data terminal mounted in their vehicle. From there, the officer can follow appropriate protocol for their jurisdiction as the manner in which to proceed.
The Benefits
Efficiency - The average officer may check 50-100 plates during the course of their shift. The ALPR can easily scan tens of thousands of plates in that same time frame.
Stolen Vehicle Recovery - Departments with ALPR statistically have significantly higher stolen vehicle recovery rates.
Officer Safety - Officers are aware of their surroundings and possible suspicious individuals prior to ever stepping out of their vehicle. ALPR can be lifesaving during a traffic-stop.
Elimination of Profiling Claims - Because the ALPR uses nothing but the license plate to alert the officer, it completely eliminates the suspects' claims that they were being profiled.
Increased Revenue - ALPR is instrumental in locating vehicles with outstanding parking violations and expired registrations, which leads to increased revenue.
ALPR In Action
Where To Get It
There are multiple companies throughout the world that specialize in the sales of ALPR. One such company is NDI Recognition Systems. NDI's US headquarters is located in Florida, however, they also have satellite offices in North Carolina and New Jersey. They are a primary dealer of ALPR software and peripherals in the United States. NDI Recognition Systems sells the software that is being illustrated in the video. They are the manufacturers of Veriplate, VISCE, and TALON.
Most departments spend a great deal of time looking for the perfect mobile data unit for their vehicles. Most of them make their final decision a Panasonic Toughbook, based on the reliability and ruggedness of the units. What often gets neglected when looking to set up mobile data units is what to mount them on. RAM Mounts makes a high quality mount that supports a wide variety of mobile computers and comes with a lifetime warranty.
RAM stands for Round-A-Mount and got its start in 1995. Most of the product line is based on a patented design revolving around a rubber ball and socket system. The RAM Vehicle Laptop Mount is designed for most any car, truck, van, big rig and fleet vehicle on the road. These heavy-duty steel laptop bases are custom formed to fit specific vehicle models. This provides a laptop mounting platform for any RAM Vehicle Mounting System. Using the front bench or passenger side seat rail bolts as attachment points, existing hardware in the vehicle is all that is required to secure these laptop bases. This eliminates the need to drill any holes into your vehicles for mounting. Because of their unique ability to absorb damaging shock and vibration, RAM laptop desks are the perfect choice for securing computers and electronics of any type.
RAM offers a full-line of vehicle mounting equipment that is created for the needs of law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, and even commercial businesses (such as construction or transportation). Depending on the type of vehicle being outfitted, RAM Mounts can be acquired at a relatively low cost. For example, the mount for a Ford Crown Victoria (the most common police vehicle) can be purchased as low as $199.99 from RAM Authorized Resellers. Mounting options are also available for various other commercial vehicles, firetrucks, and ambulances. For those that require more than just a laptop mount, console mounts (like the one pictured above) are an alternative option. Console mounts give the option of a housing for in-car communications, radio racks, and even the electronic switches for the sirens of the vehicle.
The durable construction, lifetime warranty, and a price that is well below their competitors, makes RAM the ideal choice for departments that are looking to install mobile data units into their fleet.
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