Fido Camera System Helps Fight Crime

By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Maybe a future episode of “Cops” can feature a K-9 officer controlling the camera. In Northumbria, England, German shepherds Sammy, five, and Zara, three have been trained to miniature transmitters fitted to them.

The advantages are obvious: you can send a dog in with a camera and human officers can see exactly what’s going on. And the Fido camera system has infra-red capability also, so darkness is not an issue.

Pictures are seen on a receiver unit carried by the dog handler who can watch the progress of the four-legged recruits searching for armed suspects.

Zara and Sammy have also been trained to leave a mobile phone at the front door of under-siege premises so officers can negotiate with suspects. Source: BBC News

We Say: Obviously moving more of the danger away from the human officers to the K-9s is a good thing (my wife, ardent dog lover that she is, may not agree). However, being able to see what’s happening when a dog in sent into a building to search … it’s a great idea, actually, though it’s hard enough to find dogs with the ability to pass the rigorous training … and I’m sure not all dogs can adjust to having that device on their heads (my dog has enough of a problem with putting anything on him aside from his collar).