U.S. DHS Outfits Police Forces with RadEye Radiation Detectors

Courtesy of WSYR-TV Syracuse, NY

The United States Department of Homeland Security has armed three police agencies with some new equipment, but nothing like they've ever had before.

New York State Police, Onondaga County Sheriff's deputies and Syracuse Police Department now have at their disposal the latest devices for detecting radiation, the Thermo Scientific RadEye. 

The devices can detect minute amounts of radiation; state police used a radiactive source in an SUV for a demonstration to show just how sensitive these devices can be.  All of the devices handed out locally are calibrated the same, so that different agencies will have the same readings responding to a scene.

The detector can then upload its information to the feds, who will read it and quickly help identify what local police have found.  State police will have a backpack sized detector that can be stashed in an SUV and used at toll booths, or special events...to test people and vehicles without them even knowing it.