5 ms·

This story is a bit weird. The company is trying to repress publication of their catalog that was obtained from a FOIA act request directed at a small police de

This story is a bit weird. The company is trying to repress publication of their catalog that was obtained from a FOIA act request directed at a small police department. Well this company is emailing their catalog at police departments nationwide. Fair enough but the catalog is certainly not a matter of national security as they are abusively claiming. Their items are fairly boring and things that anyone here with a modicum of competence could hack together easily. Camera and transponder in a gravestone, child car seat, etc. basic stuff. Nothing is a big secret, why are they acting like it is? I guess to get attention. If a police department needs any of their items, they can save money hiring a high school student with modest skills and awareness of what's available on aliexpress.

senectus1 7y ago
I can see headline stories about policing "Mourn Porn"
londons_explore 7y ago
I suspect moreso if it becomes common knowledge exactly what the 'police baby seat' looks like, police investigatons might be compromised. I'd like to see the risk assessment of whoever made that baby seat though - removing a chunk of foam and replacing it with electronics doesn't sound good for the baby's health in case of an accident, and I doubt very much the manufacturer of police spy gear has the expertise to re-test it.
- dsfyu404ed 7y ago
  >I suspect moreso if it becomes common knowledge exactly what the 'police baby seat' looks like, police investigatons might be compromised. I think it's more likely that they don't want to be forced to reduce their profit margin by having to embed their crap in a wider variety of baby seats, grave markets, alarm clocks, etc. If they can skate by with one or two models of each they will make more money. >Removing a chunk of foam and replacing it with electronics doesn't sound good for the baby's health in case of an accident, and I doubt very much the manufacturer of police spy gear has the expertise to re-test it. Call me cynical but they likely don't care about that because they almost certainly make the departments take responsibility for use of their products. The departments don't care about being liable because they can usually hand-wave that sort of thing away under qualified immunity and if a judge does make them take responsibility and the departments don't care because the lawsuits are paid with our money, not theirs.
  - kuzimoto 7y ago
    Why is it assumed that the safety of the car seat is compromised because of installing a camera? There is plenty of void space inside of a car seat. The only foam sections of the seats I have are around the head-area. The rest is just plastic with a slightly padded cover.
    - stallmanite 7y ago
      Is not the void space important in that collapsing to absorb energy is necessary? Stuffing the voids can absolutely make it dangerous.
      - kuzimoto 7y ago
        I'm fairly certain that car seats are not designed to have crumple zones. If you had enough pressure to cause the plastic of a car seat to collapse inwards, you most likely have way bigger problems on your hands.
onion2k 7y ago
If a police department needs any of their items, they can save money hiring a high school student with modest skills and awareness of what's available on aliexpress. Would evidence collected by an ad hoc device installed by a student be admissible in court? I always understood that most of these devices are expensive because they have features that can be used to verify the chain of evidence. Something bought from Aliexpress won't.
- Nasrudith 7y ago
  It should be given that chain of custody can be maintained just fine for random devices and pieces of evidence in crimes. A whole device would certainly qualify even if overkill for other contexts when random security camera footage from witnesses can be verified and a copy taken in.

senectus1 7y ago

I can see headline stories about policing "Mourn Porn"

londons_explore 7y ago

I suspect moreso if it becomes common knowledge exactly what the 'police baby seat' looks like, police investigatons might be compromised. I'd like to see the risk assessment of whoever made that baby seat though - removing a chunk of foam and replacing it with electronics doesn't sound good for the baby's health in case of an accident, and I doubt very much the manufacturer of police spy gear has the expertise to re-test it.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago
>I suspect moreso if it becomes common knowledge exactly what the 'police baby seat' looks like, police investigatons might be compromised. I think it's more likely that they don't want to be forced to reduce their profit margin by having to embed their crap in a wider variety of baby seats, grave markets, alarm clocks, etc. If they can skate by with one or two models of each they will make more money. >Removing a chunk of foam and replacing it with electronics doesn't sound good for the baby's health in case of an accident, and I doubt very much the manufacturer of police spy gear has the expertise to re-test it. Call me cynical but they likely don't care about that because they almost certainly make the departments take responsibility for use of their products. The departments don't care about being liable because they can usually hand-wave that sort of thing away under qualified immunity and if a judge does make them take responsibility and the departments don't care because the lawsuits are paid with our money, not theirs.
- kuzimoto 7y ago
  Why is it assumed that the safety of the car seat is compromised because of installing a camera? There is plenty of void space inside of a car seat. The only foam sections of the seats I have are around the head-area. The rest is just plastic with a slightly padded cover.
  - stallmanite 7y ago
    Is not the void space important in that collapsing to absorb energy is necessary? Stuffing the voids can absolutely make it dangerous.
    - kuzimoto 7y ago
      I'm fairly certain that car seats are not designed to have crumple zones. If you had enough pressure to cause the plastic of a car seat to collapse inwards, you most likely have way bigger problems on your hands.

onion2k 7y ago

If a police department needs any of their items, they can save money hiring a high school student with modest skills and awareness of what's available on aliexpress. Would evidence collected by an ad hoc device installed by a student be admissible in court? I always understood that most of these devices are expensive because they have features that can be used to verify the chain of evidence. Something bought from Aliexpress won't.

Nasrudith 7y ago
It should be given that chain of custody can be maintained just fine for random devices and pieces of evidence in crimes. A whole device would certainly qualify even if overkill for other contexts when random security camera footage from witnesses can be verified and a copy taken in.