SurveillanceSurveillance truck helps Fort Lauderdale keep streets safe

Police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are trying a new approach to fighting crime – blatantly telling criminals they are under surveillance.

With the help of what police have dubbed “The Peacemaker,” local authorities have taken to parking a converted van loaded with sophisticated surveillance equipment in high-crime areas riddled with drugs or violence.

The Sun Sentinel reports thatthe Peacemaker is heavily emblazoned with police logos and in bold lettering on its side, a sign reads “Warning: You are under video surveillance.” Meanwhile the front of the truck has a bumper sticker that reads, “Whatcha gonna do when we come for you?”

“Make no mistakes about it,” said Detective Travis Mandell in an interview with theSun Sentinel. “We want people to know that we are watching the bad guys.”

The van, a converted armored bank truck that the police paid $10 for at an auction, has been equipped with the latest surveillance equipment including eight cameras that stream live video back to headquarters. The cameras, which sit behind bullet-proof glass, can collect panoramic footage for up to 700 hours.

The Fort Lauderdale police department purchased its first truck last August, and last month the department added its second Peacemaker, a converted former SWAT vehicle, to its crime fighting arsenal.