Core77

NYPD: Solving the Impossible

By David Seliger - September 27, 2011

in Tech

A really fascinating video from 60 Minutes on the NYPD's Counter-Terrorism Bureau is making the blog rounds today. As fascinated as I am by all the Orwellian or futuristic technologies—including the supercomputer that can track suspicious packages—I'm more interested by the NYPD's attempts to solve what is seemingly an impossible problem: how to protect the 8 million citizens of New York City from any kind of terrorist attack.

Obviously there is some very serious systems thinking going on here, tackling the problem both as a unified whole and as miniature systems within the bigger picture. For instance, there are very different approaches to a nuclear threat (the segment on handheld and boat radiological detectors) and to a threat from recent immigrants (the segment on the cricket league). Each threat could potentially murder many New Yorkers, yet instead of going after the issue of a potential terrorist attack with one approach, many diverse ones are employed instead. And, for once, the "security theater" actually seems to be effectively deployed as opposed to anything the TSA has come up with—just ask Bruce Schneier.

Watch the video and let us know what you think!

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T. E. Samad

13 years ago

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I hate it when design is used by power-hungry tyrants, in a dictatorship as well as in America. Yes, design (no matter what your definition is) can be used for both good and bad things, from designing weapons of mass destruction for the American military to designing lifesaving technology for developing countries like Bangladesh.

I don't know about anyone else but I have no interest in making the world even more dangerous and unstable through design; it's just not my philosophy to help evil forces to gain more power and influence over the world. And i'm not going to apologise for my principles.
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Dave Seliger

13 years ago

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@ Adam - I think your definition of "design" is rather subjective. You seem to suggest that design as a universal concept must be only one thing or another. The many facets of design are as varied as humans are varied. Not all design is used to solve hunger nor kill people with audio frequencies. A torture device can be just as well designed as a Herman Miller chair, but that doesn't mean all design is torture devices or all design is Herman Miller chairs.
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Adam Weaver

13 years ago

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David Selgier- The term "Orwellian" is very telling of this post. The book was a warning and the T.V spot was a propaganda piece of pro-police state for "look how safe you are." This post was just piggy backing on that. If you want cool design and killing showcase some of the amazing sound weapons the police state uses to control people. The idea that audio frequency can kill is pretty amazing but is that what design has become in an age ruled by fear and war? Has design rounded the corner into objects that build up walls between nations and people?

To me design is like any other art, it reaches over barriers and wars and showcase how human creativity can make humanity a better place.. That with design we can solve real problems not "chasing the boogie man around nyc" and that's all this is. A fear state to divide and conquer. I fear bed bugs and cops more than a CIA trained asset sent to NYC to boost funding for Orwellian technology.

Just think of all that money nyc wasted when they could have been hiring teachers and making use safer with social projects to bring us together through design. Show case that aspect of society. Oh wait its not there as we are all still so afraid of the big bad ghost.
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Dave Seliger

13 years ago

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@NWO, Etoile, and d3r - I've been following the NYPD response to the Occupy Wall Street protests as well. There are some very troubling questions that come out of that situation, although their place is not necessarily on Core77.

Indeed, perhaps the NYPD does take place in this current "fear industry." In this post, however, I just wanted to spotlight an attempt at a solution to a very complex, very difficult problem - and not glorify OR demonize the NYPD either way.
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d3r

13 years ago

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Storm troopers walking the streets looking for rebels?

Sounds familar
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Etoile

13 years ago

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You mean this great police force that maces innocent protesters??

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2011/09/26-1

This is scary and to think NYC isn't any safer with them watching us all the time. Living in Brooklyn shows me the truth not this propaganda for letting them watch us all the time. I love in the show how they never mention the implosion of building 7. Like there were only two building that came down. Wake up. Promote truth and great design not lies and socially stifling actions of a government high on power and corruption.
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NWO

13 years ago

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Because you have let 1984 become a reality. You now live in a police state.

You will soon have a choice to make.

Will you be a freeman or slave?
Will you be an enemy of the state or a Nazi?
Will you be for liberty or tyranny?
Will you shoot or be shot?

Times they are a changing...
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