Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
A chaotic scene. An apparent gun. Multiple callers reporting concern.
But with the help of real time technology, officers were able to assess the situation before ever stepping out of their patrol cars. Those extended eyes, turning a normally tense situation into a calm and pleasant interaction.
Earlier this month around Colfax and Billings, calls began to flood in about a suspect running in traffic, waving their hands around and holding onto a gun in their waistband.
Most people would, upon hearing these details, begin to visualize any number of horrible scenarios that could unfold. Police officers are no different. Responding to an unknown person, seemingly running around in traffic, waving their hands and displaying a gun invokes the most heightened responses from trained officers.
Now imagine, the ability to observe a situation, before you even arrive. Instead of relying on the perspective of others, you watch it unfold before your very eyes.
This is what responding officers did in this instance. Taking advantage of the tools provided, officers logged into the city’s camera network and watched the intersection in real time. Not only did they discover that the situation was not as chaotic as originally reported, but they also recognized that the reported “gun” was just a set of binoculars.
A chaotic scene. An apparent gun. Multiple callers reporting concern.
But with the help of real time technology, officers were able to assess the situation before ever stepping out of their patrol cars. Those extended eyes, turning a normally tense situation into a calm and pleasant interaction.
Earlier this month around Colfax and Billings, calls began to flood in about a suspect running in traffic, waving their hands around and holding onto a gun in their waistband.
Most people would, upon hearing these details, begin to visualize any number of horrible scenarios that could unfold. Police officers are no different. Responding to an unknown person, seemingly running around in traffic, waving their hands and displaying a gun invokes the most heightened responses from trained officers.
Now imagine, the ability to observe a situation, before you even arrive. Instead of relying on the perspective of others, you watch it unfold before your very eyes.
This is what responding officers did in this instance. Taking advantage of the tools provided, officers logged into the city’s camera network and watched the intersection in real time. Not only did they discover that the situation was not as chaotic as originally reported, but they also recognized that the reported “gun” was just a set of binoculars.
