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Florida Poly students create bodycam device for Lakeland police

Bracket device
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LAKELAND, Fla. — Lakeland Police officers are now equipped with a new device for their body cameras that will help them during split-second decisions.

When police officers are responding to a sudden situation, every second matters.

“Since the police academy, they’ve been taught how to escalate or de-escalate certain situations, but the important thing is we want them to focus on their training and successful outcome,” said Lt. Frank Fitzgerald.

Lakeland officers now have a device helping them stay focused, by turning their body cameras on without wasting time.

“When the firearm is drawn, it manipulates the sensor and then sends the pulse or signal to activate the body camera,” said Fitzgerald.

A bracket device is specially designed for Lakeland Police’s new gun holsters. Fitzgerald said it solves the problem that happened when the department upgraded its technology firearms and holsters.

“The holster was so new that the vendor that we get our body-worn cameras through did not have brackets for our holsters, so Florida Polytechnic was able to manufacture brackets,” said Fitzgerald.

Mechanical engineers at Florida Polytechnic University designed and manufactured 500 brackets using 3D printers.

"Once the switch turns on, it activates the body cams, the cameras in and within a 200-foot range of this bracket. It will activate any body cams on any other officer," said Mike Kalman, fabrication specialist at Florida Poly.

The partnership with the university and Lakeland Police emphasizes the department’s commitment to transparency.

“To have something that’s actually out in the real world to help police officers save lives and save their own lives is pretty cool,” said Kalman.

"Why are you not giving us our money back? You owe it to us — just pay us.”
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