Submitted via IRC for takyon
New York City Police Department Commissioner James P. O'Neill suspended the use of some bodycam devices "effective immediately" after one of the city's cameras exploded over the weekend.
The NYPD said it was made "aware of a possible product defect" on Saturday when an officer said his Vievu model LE-5 camera caught fire. The officer removed the device before it exploded, and no injuries were reported.
"Last night, an officer retrieved a body-cam for deployment on a midnight tour and noticed there was smoke exiting from the bottom portal and immediately removed it," the NYPD said in a statement. "After it was safely removed, the device exploded."
Investigators said "the incident revealed a potential for the battery inside the camera to ignite," according to the statement.
[...] "Out of an abundance of caution, the Police Commissioner has directed that the continued use and distribution of the LE-5 model cameras be suspended effective immediately," the statement said. "All officers assigned LE-5 cameras were instructed to immediately remove the cameras and bring them back to their commands."
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/york-police-department-halts-bodycams-explodes/story?id=58658403
(Score: 5, Insightful) by tangomargarine on Monday October 22 2018, @03:50PM (4 children)
You don't think they would take that excuse to just all not wear them?
"Well Bob's exploded, so mine might as well. Ergo I won't put it on in the first place."
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 5, Funny) by DannyB on Monday October 22 2018, @04:16PM
They might do that. Not wear them. What could go wrong?
Police are trustworthy and would only behave in the most professional manner representing their department. If it were not so, police departments would equip their officers with body cameras.
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 22 2018, @10:24PM (1 child)
On the other hand, if you found out a device you had had a chance of "exploding" (which admittedly sounds scarier than the event probably actually was), wouldn't you be a bit freaked out about it as well? Do you remember the furor over the Samsung Galaxy 7?
(On the other, other hand, I'm about 90% sure this is just an excuse to get rid of the big-brother cameras. Now I think the "quis custodiet ipsos custodes" and the documented history of police abuse warrants the privacy invasion... but I can see if I were a police officer how I'd want to not use them. Who here would like having a keylogger on their work computer?)
(Score: 3, Touché) by sjames on Tuesday October 23 2018, @04:38PM
I do recall the Galaxy 7s and the way that practically nobody decided to not carry a cellphone as a result.
(Score: 2) by driverless on Monday October 22 2018, @11:08PM
So that's what they did with all the recalled Galaxy 9's!