Friday, October 5, 2007

Surveillance Systems – A Legal Big Brother?

Surveillance systems, with all the sleek gadgetry have turned security into a high technology oriented big industry. Can you imagine what the small and concealable surveillance cameras can do to a country? US used satellite and aerial surveillance systems of the highest degree of sophistication, as recently as 2003-04 in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the latest in international, state sponsored surveillance exercise of this magnitude. But this is not the first, or not in the least, the last. The 1965 demand of New York PD was honored by the Federal Government in 1969 and the first video cameras were installed in the New York City Municipal Building near City Hall.

Surveillance Systems for Public Security Use of surveillance systems soon became the norm in cities of political and strategic importance with the earlier analog video cameras being installed in public places. To name a few, Statue of Liberty and Lincoln Bridge were immediately covered by cameras for surveillance. Many crimes were either prevented or detected like never before. Still, the use of surveillance in America lags behind UK. The London Metro is the critical place where they have an extensive installation, which proved effective in the recent bombings.

State and private detectives use surveillance systems for their day to day work. The equipments they make use of are quite interesting as they are little marvels of technology. Body wearable spy cameras score on top of all of them. They come in different sizes and shapes making it easier to wear and conceal. They are mostly button shaped and most of them transmit their captures I instantaneously while some can store data for later retrieval.

Digital spy cameras which can be concealed anywhere inside a building sells for around $60, have 300’ wide angle and focal length of 6’. The smallest one measures 2CM x 2CM.

Phone bugs can’t be ignored at all. They have countless disguises like series transmitters, induction taps. They can be placed with the receiver of your phone, within the telephone box or even the near power socket. Don’t under estimate their capacities; they operate at 78 - 88MHz but professionals use range of 150-475 MHz to avoid detection. Price varies between $14.5 and $145.

‘Ear Spy’ helps hear across rooms through powerful devices connected to ear phones via long cords. Remote transmitter models have capabilities of 40-50GHz and various amplifications. Price ranges from $6 -$24.5

Home security is not quite different from public security system on certain counts. Some other popular equipments are GPS and GPS enabled cell phones are handy in tracing criminals and hostages.


http://www.searcharticles.net/article.cfm/id/16655