Apparatus and method for assisting law enforcement in managing crisis situations

Evidence collecting and recording apparatus for collecting and preserving evidence of an event relating to the use of a gun, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• (a) an electronic evidence collecting device, powered by a first source of electrical power and configured to be disposed on the gun, that comprises:
• (1) an electronic imaging device, including an electronic camera, for producing first signals representing video images with a field of view in a direction of aim of the gun;
• and
• (2) a first transmitter (“T”) device, coupled to said electronic imaging device, for transmitting said first signals representing said video images via a wireless short-range protocol;
• (b) an electronic relay device, powered by a second source of electrical power and adapted for use by a person authorized to carry the gun, that comprises:
• (1) a first receiver (“R”) device for receiving said first signals representing said video images transmitted from said first T device;
• (2) a second transmitter (“T”) device for transmitting second signals representing said video images via a wireless signal transmission network;
• (3) a first data storage device;
• and
• (4) a first digital logic device, coupled to said first R device, to said second T device and to said first data storage device, for receiving and processing said first signals representing said video images and producing said second signals representing said video images for transmission via said transmission network;
• and
• (c) a remote central station, powered by a third source of electrical power and having an evidence processing and collecting apparatus, that comprises:
• (1) a second receiver (“R”) device for receiving said second signals representing said video images transmitted from said second T device;
• (2) a display device for displaying information;
• (3) a second data storage device;
• and
• (4) a second digital logic device, coupled to said second R device, to said display device and to said second data storage device, for causing said display device to display said video images;
• wherein at least one of said first digital logic device and said second digital logic device includes an algorithm for for processing said signals representing said video images to identify a person appearing in said video images based on prior known information about said person that was previously stored in one of said first data storage device and said second data storage device, respectively.