The American Border Patrol’s Glenn Spencer, left, and
director of operations Mike Christie view the feed from
the border online Wednesday at the facility in Palominas.
(Mark Levy-Herald/Review)
Posted on 03/14/2008 11:33:19 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
PALOMINAS — Glenn Spencer sat in front of a set of computer screens Wednesday morning in his office here and monitored activity along a nine-mile stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Using his mouse, he controlled the pan, the tilt, the zoom and the contrast of a thermal camera.
“This is the San Pedro River there,” he said, pointing to a screen. “When you look down there at night with this camera system, if there was a person down there, they would stand out like a Christmas tree light at five miles away.”
Spencer, president of American Border Patrol, a non-governmental organization, has long used this high-tech, sophisticated camera equipment to look for illegal immigrants.
But now he is seeking volunteers to help out.
“As we have learned over the years, it’s great if you have a camera down there, but all we would do is sit around and watch it. People may pop up every hour or every three or four hours,” he said, adding, “The problem is we have to stay up all night to see anything. It’s taking all of our time.”
So American Border Patrol developed software that lets people control the cameras via the Internet. The group is accepting applications from members of the general public who want to watch out for human smugglers and drug smugglers during 30-minute intervals. If someone sees something, the person would contact American Border Patrol and that group would in turn report it to U.S. Border Patrol officials.
The thermal camera works optimally during nighttime, but it also can be used during daylight hours. Besides it, there are four other cameras in the network that can be used during daytime or semi-night conditions. Together, the five cameras cost more than $100,000.
Mike Christie, director of operations for American Border Patrol, said the camera network “is usable now and will only get better in the future.”
“Ultimately, what we would like to see is a series of thermal cameras along with daylight cameras mounted on masts or towers all along the border that can be controlled over the Internet by volunteers,” he said. “It is certainly doable, it’s just a matter of getting funding.”
For information on the American Border Patrol, visit www.americanborderpatrol.com.
Herald/Review reporter Jonathon Shacat can be reached at 515-4693 or by e-mail at jonathon.shacat@bisbeereview.net.
Oh can’t the SETI users do this?
Those are the ones that share their computer time for data analysis with the global purpose of finding life beyond this planet.
An electrified, electronically monitored fence is all the volunteers it really needs.
Bend over tax payer this will not hurt long.
Glenn: “OK, now when do I get to control the drone?
They make cameras that automatically detect, zoom in on, and track motion, and can be set up to alert an operator.
http://www.ezwatchstore.com/shop/EZ-Track-PTZ-System-p-1-c-351.html
This break-through technology makes EZ Track Domes incredibly effective in protecting parking lots, storage yards, warehouses or any large area in need of hands free surveillance.
SETI runs unattended, no manual intervention required.
This requires that you sit and watch the screen during your shift.
bump for later
Those cameras will operate in low light, they don’t appear to have any thermal capabilitys, many areas along the border have no background light, thermal capabilitys are necessary in those areas. Those cameras are limited to 3000 feet, remote border areas require much greater distance to be effective.
OK. So La Raza rounds up a bunch of volunteers, has them sign up for targeted shifts — and that is when the stampedes will move through.
Nice toys in the r/h corner :>)
Bend over taxpayer? Did you bother to read the article??? These are PRIVATELY FUNDED !
Put on an M249 SAW, an M240 or an M2 .50 BMG and I can find all the folks you need to man it, 24 x 7 x 365.
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE
Just for the 'hot spots' like in AZ and the now drive across places.
American Border Patrol is a non-governmental organization.
Check out the cost of the Boeing virtual border towers.
So they see someone, then what?
“A gun is a tool, Marion, no better or no worse than any other tool, an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that”. Shane
“If someone sees something, the person would contact American Border Patrol and that group would in turn report it to U.S. Border Patrol officials.”
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