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Homeland Security's Tech Wonders

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the segways-and-calculator-watches dept.

Lucas123 writes "The multi-billion dollar budget of the Department of Homeland Security has spawned a myriad of new, whiz-bang technology that includes things like keychain-size, remote-controlled aerial vehicles designed to collect and transmit data for military and homeland security uses. It also includes infrared cameras that capture license plate images to match them in milliseconds to police records. "Seventy percent of all criminal activity can be tied to a vehicle," says Mark Windover, president of Remington ELSAG Law Enforcement Systems, which is marketing its product to 250 U.S. police agencies."

5 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Thank God we have this technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now we will see crime drop just like it did in the UK when they installed their cameras!

  2. bureaucratic incompetance is the greatest threat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How is stuff like correlating license plates to crime, or flying small recon drones around, helping catch terrorists? According to the Director of National Intelligence, Michael McConnell, the best thing Washington could have done to prevent the terrorist attacks in new york was to have listened to FBI agents when they repeatedly warned that Zacarias Moussaoui was acting suspiciously, and repeatedly requested search warrants (http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/Story?id=3621517&page=1 .) Homeland security should be doing research about how to prevent bureaucratic incompetance.

  3. Data is not the same as intelligence by Nomen+Publicus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But where does one direct all this "wonderful" technology? There is a myth that seems to infest these new fangled security organisations, that if only they can gather sufficient data they will be able to identify and prevent bad things happening. They cannot, but are willing to spend huge amounts of money in the attempt.

  4. 70% bad vehicles by drseuk · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Seventy percent of all criminal activity can be tied to a vehicle," As vee say in the Netherlands, "Where's my bike?"
  5. More than you understand. by khasim · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Pop quiz, in the USofA are there:
    #1. More terrorists?

    #2. More crooked cops?

    Now, which of these is this new surveillance technology supposed to protect you from and which ones will have it?

    http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/conductunbecoming/