MPD demonstrates technology used to capture Boston suspect

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Special infrared cameras helped Boston police confirm the Boston Marathon bombings suspect was hiding in a boat in Watertown, Massachusetts -- covered with a tarp. That same technology can be used in Milwaukee, and Milwaukee police demonstrated the technology for FOX6 News at McKinley Marina.

Police say when visibility is limited, technology is essential.

"Every kind of tool on our tool belt to help us for saving people's lives. It's crucial. It's good to have," Milwaukee Police Officer Wyatt Graikowski said.

Graikowski on Tuesday, April 23rd demonstrated MPD's "FLIR" or forward-looking infrared technology -- the same technology used in locating Boston Marathon suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

"It was cool to see it in action," Graikowski said.

The technology is mainly utilized in the water or in darkness.

"Say we have a subject in the water we're looking for. It will be able to contrast between the water and the subject and will be able to pick it up on the monitor," Graikowski said.

The technology finds people using heat signatures.

During the demonstration at McKinley Marina, a man walked hundreds of feet away from FOX6's crew, in a spot that was difficult for the human eye to see. However, with the technology, there was no hiding!

Milwaukee police have had this technology available to them for about three years. They utilized the technology last year for what it was intended for -- search and rescue.