NewsWatch: Public Safety -- Officers Wear Cameras

Camera Scans of Car Plates Are Reshaping Police Inquiries

There are 238 license plate readers in use in New York City. Of those, 130 are mobile. They are mounted on the back of police cars assigned to patrol duties across the city’s five boroughs and to specialized units like the highway and counterterrorism divisions. The remaining 108 cameras are set up at fixed posts at city bridges and tunnels and above thoroughfares. New York Times

Officers Wearing Video Cameras

Police interactions are increasingly recorded, not only on cellphones, but by officers. Cameras have been on the dashboards of police cruisers for years. Most Goodyear police and Arizona Department of Public Safety vehicles have them. Glendale is the latest Valley city adding cameras to its patrol fleet. The next innovation places the cameras on officers themselves, either on shirt collars or, like Bluetooth devices, over the ear. Arizona Republic

Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities

While the number of fires is on the decline, firefighter deaths are not —and a new University of Georgia study helps explain why. Researchers in the UGA College of Public Health found that cultural factors in the work environment that promote getting the job done as quickly as possible with whatever resources available lead to an increase in line-of-duty firefighter fatalities. University of Georgia

House Panel Debates Bill on Rights of Self-Defense

People should have the right to protect themselves if they are in their car or a public park, according to supporters of Senate Bill 88. The bill would allow people to use deadly force in self-defense anywhere they have a right to be, expanding the "Castle Doctrine" beyond a person's home. New Hampshire Union Leader

Bill to Restrict Pseudoephedrine up for Vote

Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant that’s a key ingredient in methamphetamine, would be available only in pharmacies in the state under legislation being considered Tuesday in the Georgia House. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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U.S. Navy Cripples Boat With Laser Cannon (Video)

The Navy has successfully tested a laser weapon, with a warship successfully crippling a smaller boat by burning through its engine and igniting it. The test, conducted by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), is an important step toward mounting high-energy lasers on ships as weapons. PC Magazine

Traffic Sensors Expected to Forecast Backups

A new traffic information system peers into the future, sees traffic jams before they happen and alerts commuters about possible trouble before they step out the front door. It could soon tell them whether they can save time by taking transit or simply surrender and work from home. San Francisco Chronicle