Gun violence has been a hot topic in recent news with the increase of random mass killings throughout the country. President Barack Obama announced a gun control proposal in an effort to minimize the threat of gun violence.
NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly noted on Wednesday during a speech at the Waldorf Astoria that since 2002, 800 illegal firearms were taken off of the streets of New York. Kelly also announced that a new technology is in development in an effort to further fight gun violence.
Reports in the Wall Street Journal describe the T-Ray machine (as it will be called) as a device capable of scanning and detecting terahertz (THz) radiation. Terahertz is a natural electromagnetic energy emitted by human beings at high frequencies. "If something is obstructing the flow of that radiation, for example a weapon, the device will highlight that object," said Commissioner Kelly during his speech. The terahertz chip is a recent science-technological advancement, thanks to the work of electrical engineers at California Institute of Technology (CALTECH).
Chief spokesperson for the NYPD, Paul Browne stated that the U.S. Department of Defense is funding the "multimillion "dollar scanning device. The T-Ray machine may eliminate the NYPD's practice of the controversial "stop and frisk" law. Ideally, officers are to only target individuals who fit the description of a suspect. Privacy advocates argue that although legal, police officers often stop and frisk those who have not been identified as crime suspects.
In a statement last year, Mayor Bloomberg said, "Part of the reason we have been able to continue driving down crime to record lows while devoting considerable resources counter-terrorism is our heavy investment in technology and our willingness to develop new, cutting-edge solutions to keep New Yorkers safe."
Last summer, Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly released a statement describing how the NYPD entered into a partnership with Microsoft to combat crime and terrorism. The Domain Awareness System is a state of the art system that uses real time data feeds to combine and analyze public safety.
Approximately 3,000 Closed-Circuit TV cameras are located throughout the city in connection with the system. Public safety in New York City has always been a top priority to city officials and technology is now beginning to play a huge role.
