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Thread: Today's Surveillance Van: Like the Bridge of Star Trek's USS Enterprise

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Thumbs up Today's Surveillance Van: Like the Bridge of Star Trek's USS Enterprise

    A good example of the use of technology in investigating is in the surveillance field. Formerly, surveillance equipment consisted of a nearly broken-down undercover van, used to store the typical surveillance equipment: a camera, and a pair of binoculars. Times have changed. A vehicle specialist describes today's state of the art surveillance van:

    "When talking about surveillance vehicles today....we tend to think of a van whose interior looks slightly less complex than the bridge of Star Trek's U.S.S. Enterprise."

    He describes that the ideal surveillance van as having the following equipment: power periscopes operated by a video game-like joystick; six cameras to cover 360* of a van's exterior, plus a periscope-mounted observer's camera; video tape decks to record everything happening on the street; quick-change periscope camera mounts; portable toilets; video printers; motion detection cameras; night vision cameras; cellular telephones; AM/FM cassette/cd/video entertainment systems; CB radio, Police radio, Police scanners, GPS; and any other personalized equipment one can think of (such as a complete computerized mobile investigative office) .

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    California
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    I have spent many hours in the back of both. Sitting in a Capt chair with joy stick control and video printers is much better than no A/C sitting on a broken down lawn chair.

    Jim

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Illinois
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    Today's Surveillance Van

    Joseph,

    Wouldn't it be great to be in the #1 chair on one of these Mobile Observation Platforms? Which BTW is what I call my squad car...lol

    Try conducting surveillance from a dumpster in a back alley of a flea bag No-Tell Motel where inside one of the rooms a Meth lab is in full operation.

    You do what you gotta do and feel no regrets when in the end you hear the words..."Great Job!"

    Michael Robinson

    "Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average." - Jim Rohn

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    Texas
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    Gadgets are nice, but the basics will always be dependable equipment, patience and a professional work ethic.

  5. #5
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    OKLAHOMA
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    so who's got this commercially available or do you have to build your own?
    Guy Bierwirth
    Licensed Private Investigator (03AGI45113 OK)

    Oklahoma

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Iowa
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    I would say it is better to build your own if you can, as it is easier to repair it rrather then try to explain what is happening to some service manager who problably couldn't care because he doesn'e beleive you anyway.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    OKLAHOMA
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    What would suggest one start with a standard van shell or or a small to mid sized camper/rv?
    Guy Bierwirth
    Licensed Private Investigator (03AGI45113 OK)

    Oklahoma

  8. #8
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    Guy, you could build your own, or you could have one commercially built, there are several companies out there that builds these types of vehicles for law enforcement etc. Here is one website that I checked out that builds them. www.odesseyauto.com

    Joe,
    Badge#10596

  9. #9
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    Guy, I made a mistake in the spelling of the name of the company in my previous post.

    Here is the complete web address: http://www.odysseyauto.com/index.html

    Also you can this companies website: http://www.farberspecialty.com/index.htm

    Joe,
    Badge#10596

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    Thanks joe found it through yahoo search. It corrected misspell.
    Guy Bierwirth
    Licensed Private Investigator (03AGI45113 OK)

    Oklahoma

  11. #11
    Derek E Moore is offline Lifetime Professional Management Member

    Member of:
    International Private Investigators Union (IPIU)
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    sounds goood the next step in investigation

    Badge#10510

  12. #12
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    Dec 2004
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    Pennsylvania
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    You are Welcome Guy, I hadn't had my coffee yet when I made the first post. Hopefully the sites will be of some help to you. Good luck in whatever route that you may decide to take.

    Joe

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Indiana
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    High Tech Surveillance would be nice, but isn't always necessary to get the job done. You have to do whatever it takes!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    OKLAHOMA
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    Yes, I agree, but it beats hiding in a garbage can..do they still make Real Garbage Cans?

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