G*n cam (Was Re: High-tech weaponry)

den Otter (neosapient@geocities.com)
Tue, 15 Jun 1999 01:39:57 +0200

A simple, relatively low-tech improvement which could easily be implemented *today* is the "gun-cam"; put a small camera module under the barrel in the same fashion as one would attach a laser/flashlight module. As (spy) cams can be made very compact without losing too much picture quality, the setup needn't be very bulky. You can even add some audio recording equipment and perhaps even a data transmitter (burst transmission?) so that even if the gun is seized or destroyed by the bad guys, you still have the evidence. The camera could be activated by means of a (pressure) pad on the grip
(a method used for certain laser aiming systems, though
I would personally prefer a system that reacts to pressure on the trigger for those). That way you only film when it counts. Further improvement could include a linked flashlight for when it's dark, and of course some safeties to prevent tampering with the data.

The advantage? Well, you basically make sure that there's a camera present at every shooting, filming from the position which counts most -- that of the shooter. That way a jury/ judge/commission can see for themselves whether a shooting was justified or not. At the very least every armed government official should have one, and of course it's highly recommended for civilian use too.

Is such a thing already on the market? If not, I hereby claim the idea... ;)