The Use of the 16 mm. Film Projector in Police Work
| Date | 01 January 1952 |
| Published date | 01 January 1952 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X5202500112 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
5°
THE
POLICE
JOURNAL
seat so that the screen could be placed in position from the inside.
A~
first the screen was situated flush with the van wall,
but
although
this was successful on dull days, much of the image was lost in bright
sunshine owing to the amount of outside light reflected by the mirror
which is situated at the back of the screen.
This
difficulty was met by installing the screen farther back inside
the van and providing a large metal hood which could be affixed by
thumb screws.
The
inside of the hood was sprayed with dull black paint
to exclude as much light as possible.
An operating bench was built along the inside of the van to carry
the projector and screen, and it was thus possible to secure a reasonable
sized picture showing to the outside of the vehicle.
Power for the operation of the projector is obtained from a portable
electric generator giving an output of Itkilowatts.
Although the generator used in this case was provided by the
Mechanical Transport Department of the Force, it is understood
that
one designed for use with this film apparatus is now available through
normal trade channels.
To
date, the Cinema van has been mainly used for exhibiting road
safety films in public parks during the school holidays, when there has
been an average audience of
150
to
250.
Films have also been exhibited
at local shows, and there is no
doubt
that the use of the unit could be
considerably extended if man-power allowed.
The
time required for starting a show on arrival at the site is five
to ten minutes.
It is, of course,
not
suggested there is anything original in the idea
of outdoor film exhibitions, or that the present apparatus cannot be
improved. Having regard to the need for keeping costs to the minimum,
however, and for utilising apparatus which is frequently required for
other work, the Sheffield experiment may interest others who desire
to extend film activities at comparatively little cost.
The Use of the
16
mm.
Film
Projector
in Police Work
ALTHOUG H no service has so much need of public
support
and approval, it
must
be admitted that public relations policy in
the police world usually lags behind that of other callings.
A typical illustration is
that
although films and film strips have
become firmly established tools of the trade in the business and educa-
tional worlds, their effectiveness is only
just
being recognised in police
circles.
There
are several reasons for
this-notably
the fact that police
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