Catching Criminals: Brockton Cops Have An App For That...
by Joe White
June 17, 2010
Having an iPhone camera pointed casually in your direction will never be the same again. Not since the cops in Brockton, Mass., have started using the iPhone's meagre camera to fight crime.
That's right, I said it. They're using their iPhones to fight crime. And not just any crime - they're using it to take down hardcore gang members. Impressive? I think so too.
The cops are using augmented iPhones that include a built-in facial recognition application to identify criminals based on the unique features of each individual's face. These include distance between eyes, nose and eyes, and nose and mouth etc.
The data is then fed into a database and, if the suspect is a previous offender, the app will say so. This database is called MORIS (Mobile Offender Recognition and Identification System), and, as you can see from the video below, seems to work pretty well.
The iPhones being used by the guys down in Brockton have a much larger battery than the standard iPhone model (to get you past identifying that first suspect), and also include some extra hardware to protect the device when it's out in the line of fire.
Emphasis here is obviously on the mobility of the iPhone, and its use (through particular apps) as a computer of sorts. Chief William Conlon states in the video:
This is something that the Officers can actually access when they're out on the road.And he's exactly right. The iPhone can do a whole lot more than just make calls, email, and surf the web. And with the premier of Brockton's high-tech criminal catcher, it's easier to see that sci-fi future you dreamed of as a child being so much more than just simple imagination.
[via Patriot Ledger]