Colorado car theft task force implementing new evidence camera for investigations

The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority and the Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force are implementing a new camera to help with evidence investigations.

The Blind Site is a UK-created tool that can identify evidence ten times faster than a regular camera and see 650 times better than the human eye. It is used to search and capture invisible evidence. This includes finger marks and prints, fluid, traces of DNA, and blood. The company says these cameras allow for faster and more precise processing of crime scenes.

Alexander Smyth, Smytec CEO and creator of Blind Site, says this camera can even show markings of things that are covered up.

"We can even detect tattoos that have been covered by gangs," Smyth said. "So obviously the tattoo can mark and identify them if they belong to a gang. We can actually see through what they covered that tattoo with and get those tattoos to basically identify what part of the gang they are affiliated with."

The systems on this camera are fully automated and include autofocus, autoexposure, and automated evidence modes. They can be used in bright sunlight or in the day, can remove backgrounds for better contrast or can keep the background for context,  and can connect to agencies' existing case management systems.

The company says they can also be used for covert operations, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance operations.

The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority and the Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force are purchasing one camera for starters. Each unit costs between $45,000 to $50,000, and it takes about a month to receive them.