STARKE, Fla. – New technology that essentially allows police to see into walls has sparked concerns over privacy. But some local deputies say the devices will help keep them safe.
"It's just another tool," said Capt. Brad Smith of the Bradford County Sheriff's Office. "It's another tool for law enforcement to keep themselves safe and also keep anybody in a hostage-type situation, keep them safe so that we know what is going on on the other side of that wall."
USA Today reports that at least 50 police agencies are already using the devices to search for violent and wanted criminals and reduce the threat for responding officers. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Services started using them more than two years ago. But some say the technology is a danger to people's privacy.
Officers frequently have to respond to a call and approach a home or office not knowing what's on the other side of a wall. They said it's among the most dangerous parts of their job.
"It's a guessing game when you first go in, which way to look," Smith said.
The makers of the Range-R (pictured) are trying to make their job a little easier and safer. The handheld radar device, which works like a stud finder, can essentially let law enforcement see through walls, because it detects movement and shows the user where it is.
According to the company, the devices detect movement up to 50 feet away and can detect movement through multiple walls, so the suspect doesn't have to be in the room closest to police.
Smith thinks the devices are a good idea. His agency doesn't have one, but he said it will consider acquiring one, because the $6,000 tool could be valuable in hostage situations, dealing with barricaded gunmen, or taking down dangerous suspects.
"So you would take the tool, put it up here, you could basically adjust it to find out where any types of threats are inside that room and then make some sort of game plan as far as moving forward," Smith said. "You could either step back and contain that room or go inside, but know where the threat would be inside that room."
Deputies in Bradford County have similar technology, including a telescoping camera that can slide under some doors or through windows to see what's going on inside before they go in.
DOCUMENT: Court case related to privacy concerns of device
The technology doesn't come without controversy. In Denver last month, appeals court judges cited serious privacy concerns after officers used a Range-R device for a warrantless search of a man's home before arresting him on weapons charges.
"The question is going to be whether or not law enforcement will use it improperly or illegally," local attorney Gene Nichols said.
Nichols said the technology can help officers, but they need to be careful how they use it.
" I don't see where, when there is a situation that an officer has the right to come into the house, with either a warrant or with probable cause, that they would need any sort of extra blessing from a judge just to use one of these devices," Nichols said.
News4Jax contacted sheriffs and deputies at several local agencies to see if they were using the new devices. None said they were, but a couple were very interested in possibly buying one.