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Chicago cop chases down gunman on Segway
Believe it or not, Chicago policeman Thaddeus Martyka isn't the first cop to chase down a crook with the help of a Segway, but nevertheless, the two-wheeled wonder is to thank for yet another arrest. Whilst patrolling the streets and enjoying the summer breeze, the officer heard shots fired and decided to wheel over and see what the commotion was all about. Sure enough, the baddies were found scurrying away from the scene of a crime, and while one suspect managed to escape, the other wasn't so fortunate. Purportedly, the Segway reached a top speed of 12.5mph, which proved plenty fast to capture (and likely humiliate) at least one of the ill-willed individuals. [Image courtesy of PoliceOne]
First all-electric police car takes to the streets
C'mon, fess up -- you'd be a lot less intimidated by a whisper quiet, all-electric squad car than one with a roaring V8, but it's hard to argue the fuel savings that would accrue if an entire precinct resorted to using the former. Such a car has now been loosed by the Connellsville Police Department, which had its combustion engine removed and replaced by a "pure-electric" alternative. The modified Chevy Impala will reportedly cruise for eight hours on a two-hour charge from a 240-volt outlet, but can't chase down baddies in heavy rain for fear of water "destroying its electrical circuits." Furthermore, Coherent Systems International (the car's converter) will be monitoring its effectiveness over the next two years as it aims to "work with other state agencies" and create more alternatively-fueled automobiles for public service.[Via Wired]Read - Connellsville plugs in police car Read - All-electric squad car makes quiet debut
Robotic crimelords could undermine police, society at large
We knew there was good reason in conjuring up guidelines for autonomous killbots, and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty has all but confirmed that. According to him, "technology such as cloned part-robot humans used by organized crime gangs pose the greatest future challenge to police" (aside from Nigerian scam artists, of course), and he even suggested that police would need to start seeking help from private defense firms in order to quell the impending chaos. Eloquently dubbed "technology-enabled crime," this apparent epidemic could even lead to "cloned part-person, part-robot" machines that would be next to impossible to stop. Sheesh, and we though haphazard robotic surgeons were our worst nightmare.[Image courtesy of MicroCollection]
Louisiana sheriff adds camcorders to taser lineup
Sure, it'd be ideal if taser-equipped police bots could clean up our streets without any human interaction whatsoever, but since we're not quite there yet, a Louisiana sheriff is upgrading his staff's lineup of Taser X26 stun guns with integrated camcorders. All 681 of the branch's devices are receiving a diminutive camera installation, which starts rolling the moment an officer switches off the safety and gets ready for action. We've certainly heard the critics who proclaim that taser guns aren't as safe as we're led to believe, and in Jefferson Parish alone a number of individuals have died after getting jolted by one. The move is being made to help protect citizens from unnecessary enforcements and to safeguard the force from illegitimate "police brutality claims," and each camera is designed to record up to 1.5 hours of monochrome footage regardless of the lighting situation. While we hope you never have to encounter one of these tasercams yourself, we imagine that Cops is already offering up big bucks to get ahold of this up close and personal footage, so you've probably got a surefire way to grab your 15 minutes if you're really that desperate.
British cops caught playing PSP on duty
First a Lancanshire bus driver is fired for playing a PSP while driving, now this. England's Sun newspaper is reporting on a pair of East London police officers caught playing a PSP while they were supposed to be guarding a wall in danger of collapsing. The cops were so engrossed in the game that they didn't even notice a passerby snapping a camera phone picture of their loafing (above). The Sun reports that the cops were playing a "footie" game (soccer to us normal people), which is a little disappointing to us. If they were playing Grand Theft Auto or something, at least they could argue they were researching the motivations behind the criminal element or something. Heck, even Lumines would have been beneficial for cops' spatial and quick thinking skills. If these cops want to play soccer, they should join a league. [Via Columbus Dispatch]
Cops ignore need for help, play PSP instead
Thirteen people were killed in violent storms through England, and two police officers certainly didn't help. "They were oblivious to everything else," the photo taker notes. These officers were completely entranced by the PSP. The Metropolitan Police said: "The use of the games console was inappropriate and unprofessional. Senior officers are dealing with the matter."[Via digg]
PS3 shooting case is still open, says DA
Despite a grand jury dismissal of murder charges earlier this week, New Hanover County Cpl. Christopher Long could still be retried over the shooting of a suspected PS3 thief. New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David told North Carolina's WCNC that the investigation against Long is continuing and that a new grand jury convening next month could decide to bring charges against him.Long's attorney argued that in the absence of any new evidence, the court should not second-guess the determination of the original grand jury. He also insisted Long be allowed to testify to any future grand jury, a privilege he was not allowed during the first trial.Also see: Deputy charged with second degree murder
