glock39
08-04-2012, 13:14
Cell phones are often listed as indispensable safety items, because they can be used to call for help. But modern Smart phones also have a few other useful tricks.
Most cell phones have a built-in camera. If you see someone suspicious hanging around your property, one option would be to use your phone to take a photo of them. If they ask what the blank you think you're doing, you can be polite and say you're taking a picture of your yard to email to someone (this is true enough - if anything gets stolen, I'm going to email the photo to the police). This approach is fairly non-confrontational and non-threatening. If the person you photograph is there for innocent purposes, they shouldn't get offended because you took their picture. If their intent is evil, then the fact that you can identify them later to the police may encourage them to find another victim.
Smart phones usually have Voice Recorder apps available. This leaves a record of who said what during a confrontation (it also encourages you to be careful not to say anything that you wouldn't want a jury to hear). If George Zimmerman had taken a moment to switch on a voice recorder, then he probably wouldn't be awaiting trial.
Obviously, you may not always have time to fiddle around with gadgets if you're being attacked (Holy Utility Belt, Batman!). But since most everyone has a cell phone anyway, it certainly wouldn't hurt to keep some other uses for it in mind. Being paranoid, I'd practice using the cell phone with my weak hand so as to leave my gun hand free.
btw - the ACLU of New Jersey has a phone app call "Police Tape", which is made to record audio and/or video of the police if they stop you. It's supposed to drop off the screen once started (so anyone looking at the phone won't see a recording app running) and send the recordings directly to the ACLU. Personally, I would not trust this particular app due to the last feature. In the Martin/Zimmerman case, I would trust the local police to impartially handle information that could clear me more than I would trust the ACLU. The ACLU is a little too selective in which Civil Liberties it chooses to defend and I wouldn't put it past them to, err, "lose" information that doesn't happen to advance their agenda. :whistling:
Most cell phones have a built-in camera. If you see someone suspicious hanging around your property, one option would be to use your phone to take a photo of them. If they ask what the blank you think you're doing, you can be polite and say you're taking a picture of your yard to email to someone (this is true enough - if anything gets stolen, I'm going to email the photo to the police). This approach is fairly non-confrontational and non-threatening. If the person you photograph is there for innocent purposes, they shouldn't get offended because you took their picture. If their intent is evil, then the fact that you can identify them later to the police may encourage them to find another victim.
Smart phones usually have Voice Recorder apps available. This leaves a record of who said what during a confrontation (it also encourages you to be careful not to say anything that you wouldn't want a jury to hear). If George Zimmerman had taken a moment to switch on a voice recorder, then he probably wouldn't be awaiting trial.
Obviously, you may not always have time to fiddle around with gadgets if you're being attacked (Holy Utility Belt, Batman!). But since most everyone has a cell phone anyway, it certainly wouldn't hurt to keep some other uses for it in mind. Being paranoid, I'd practice using the cell phone with my weak hand so as to leave my gun hand free.
btw - the ACLU of New Jersey has a phone app call "Police Tape", which is made to record audio and/or video of the police if they stop you. It's supposed to drop off the screen once started (so anyone looking at the phone won't see a recording app running) and send the recordings directly to the ACLU. Personally, I would not trust this particular app due to the last feature. In the Martin/Zimmerman case, I would trust the local police to impartially handle information that could clear me more than I would trust the ACLU. The ACLU is a little too selective in which Civil Liberties it chooses to defend and I wouldn't put it past them to, err, "lose" information that doesn't happen to advance their agenda. :whistling: