Oct 2, 2008

New Meaning for Term "Undercover"

What you don’t see can hurt you. With this in mind, the U.S. State Department has purchased a Smith & Wesson-branded Swift Under Vehicle Inspection System (UVIS) from its maker, Law Enforcement Associates Corporation, the largest U.S. developer and manufacturer of undercover surveillance equipment. The Swift is a lightweight, ground-based surveillance device that utilizes a specialized wide-angle, low-light camera to inspect vehicle undercarriages, and it will be used as part of the security system of an overseas U.S. Embassy. The specific location of the embassy was not disclosed, but we speculate that it is in a big building in a foreign country.

“Our Swift and legacy UVIS products are utilized both as surveillance and deterrence tools and are helping protect U.S. assets and personnel around the world, including throughout Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Paul Feldman, president of LEA. “We have sold more than 2,000 of these units, and are encouraged by the sustained demand this family of products has received since the original model was introduced in 1996.”

Fear of auto-based insurgency and terrorism is apparently up, because Feldman said that a recent surge in order activity led to record product shipments during the month of August. Its products include the Under Vehicle Inspection System (UVIS), Smith & Wesson-branded UVIS Swift, EDK123 (Explosive Detection Kit), Bloodhound and Birddog GPS Tracking Systems, Graffiti Cam, Letter-bomb Visualizer Spray and a wide variety of audio and video surveillance equipment. 

“We shipped $1.1 million in orders last month and are optimistic that recent order volume will lead to continued shipping momentum throughout September and into the fourth quarter,” he said.