It was only a matter of time before technology to detect the presence of a gun on a person at a distance became a reality, but they are working on something in NYC to do just that. You can certainly bet Bloomberg will want to step up this project, in the hopes of landing more innocent gun owners in prison.
There is already arguably Supreme Court precedent in this area in the Kyllo v. US, in which the Court ruled that using special technology not available to the general public requires a warrant. Kyllo, however, involved the home, so the Courts would have to extend that protection to the streets. But it’s not inconceivable that would be the case. Bloomberg has never been remarkably concerned about American liberties, however, so it doesn’t surprise me this is coming out of New York.
Wouldn’t the Terry decision tend to argue against the use of this as well?
Since Terry searches are only allowed for officer safety.
NYPD’s legal council should be disbarred for suggesting this might pass muster.
Now I need to go ask the NYCLU why they don’t think this is a gross 4A violation. (Because the stated purpose is to find guns, the cowardly, idiotic [I don’t know enough languages to put enough profanity here]-ers.
Harumph.
“It’s called Terahertz Imaging Detection. It measures the energy radiating from a body up to 16 feet away, and can detect anything blocking it, like a gun.”
So we should all wear tinfoil-lined clothes then?
Agree with Stew. Thermal Imaging isn’t new. They haven’t created an innovative technology. They’re simply doing a market-acceptance program to start violating the 4th Am. Perhaps we should start scanning Mike and his crew as they walk by? Take a look and make sure no unlawful gov’t meetings are taking place in his dwelling? Scan NYPD to see where they’ve got their backup pistol? Brave New World, which Mike thinks is just a safer world. Not so sure, myself.
Good idea scan Mikey’s bodyguards and any other NYPD.
Seems the best way to defeat this idiocy is to get national reciprocity and then make guns so commonplace in NY that NYPD has no choice but to stop getting its knickers in a twist about people with guns. It has the added attraction of giving Nanny Bloomberg heartburn.
I don’t understand how a city mayor can make laws that go against State laws, no matter how big the city is it is still just a city.
NYC seems to think it’s a state unto it’s self!
In protest, I would walk around with one of those plastic training guns tucked in my pants. If enough people did this it would render the scanner useless.
Zermoid: “We ARE New York Effing City, and we stand above lousy state laws. So says Nanny Bloomberg & Co.”
Just as easy as beating an airport x-ray, find something that has a similar density of the firearm and use it to block the pattern of the firearm.
This technology is pretty pie in the sky anyways… kinda like Full Body Imaging…