Located in southern New Hampshire near the Massachusetts border, the town of Pelham presents unique challenges for its police department. With dense woodlands, power line corridors, and a mix of residential and commercial areas, officers often find themselves searching large areas in low-light conditions where traditional visibility tools fall short.
For Corporal Cody Halliday of the Pelham Police Department, thermal imaging has become an essential tool for improving officer safety and situational awareness in the field.
Drawing on 11 years of experience in the National Guard—where he extensively used thermal systems, primarily larger mounted platforms—Halliday brings a unique perspective to law enforcement applications of thermal technology. Today, he also helps train fellow officers on the many ways thermal imaging can be used during police operations.
“When using thermal imaging, there are a ton of applications, and we often get tunnel vision on what thermal capabilities can do,” said Halliday. “They can do a lot, day or night. You just need to know how to apply it, use it, and understand best practices.”
The Flir Scout Pro’s compact design addresses a critical need for law enforcement officers who already carry a wide range of equipment.
“Keeping it about the size of a cargo pocket is ideal,” Halliday explained. “Especially for law enforcement—we have so many tools on us, and we have limited space to carry things. I want to be able to grab that from a cruiser bag and throw it in my cargo pocket.”
This portability proved valuable during a recent investigation when a suspect fled into dense woods.
"It was a burglary suspect who ran into a treeline after we had set a perimeter," Halliday recalls. "Just having that camera with us, especially in a high-stakes call like that. Often, burglary suspects are armed. It gets very dangerous when we start going into the woods and we can't see what's going on."
Thermal imaging allows officers to scan large areas quickly and identify heat signatures without relying on visible light.
Halliday also highlighted how the Scout Pro simplifies operation in demanding environments.
Law enforcement demand simplicity above all else.
“The Scout Pro auto-adjusts quickly with no lag, which is super helpful because it takes that guesswork out of it. I need to be able to use it in the dark without looking at the buttons, and I need to be able to do it just for safety."
The Scout Pro’s 32-degree field of view, which is wider than many competing thermal imaging monoculars, also stood out.
“That wider field of view compared to other units means it doesn’t feel like you’re looking through a tunnel,” Halliday noted.
A wider view allows officers to scan areas more efficiently, improving awareness when moving through wooded terrain or large outdoor spaces.
Beyond search operations, the Scout Pro has become part of Halliday’s routine patrol work.
"Even when I'm on patrol, I'll check a parking lot real quick. Let's say it’s two in the morning, I would look to see if a car is running that shouldn't be there because we’ve had catalytic converter thefts, people stealing parts, or staging for some other crime."
When Halliday spots a running vehicle in a closed parking lot during the early morning hours, it immediately raises red flags.
"That stands out. That's odd. Why is that car running in this parking lot at two in the morning? It's been closed for six plus hours. They shouldn't be there. So now I can go touch base and I know someone's there without getting surprised."
Thermal imaging helps officers quickly detect activity without alerting suspects or relying on bright lights that could reveal their position.
Halliday and other officers often work with canine units from neighbouring agencies during searches for suspects or missing persons. In these situations, thermal imaging provides a critical advantage.
Using thermal imaging eliminates the need for flashlights that could interfere with the search.
"During searches with K9s, you don't want to backlight the officer or the dog because it's unsafe. Suspects then know your location, but more importantly, it's distracting for the dogs," Halliday explained. "Having a Flir is spectacular because instead of having to use a flashlight or walking around in the dark in the woods, you can use a thermal and scan. You're giving no light signature, and it doesn't affect the dog."
Flir Scout Pro è il monoculare termico di nuova generazione, progettato per e con le forze dell’ordine e i professionisti della pubblica sicurezza. Costruito per garantire affidabilità in missioni di alto livello in cui tempo e concentrazione sono fondamentali, Scout Pro offre controlli semplificati in modo da non perderti mai nei menu, garantisce durabilità robusta per resistere a condizioni difficili e capacità di visualizzazione dal vivo per tenere il tuo team informato in tempo reale. Con un obiettivo a fuoco fisso con un campo visivo di 32°, il più ampio disponibile sul mercato, Scout Pro consente scansioni rapide dell’area, identificando firme termiche umane fino a 500 metri di distanza, anche nel buio. I miglioramenti avanzati delle immagini sono personalizzati specificamente per il rilevamento umano, assicurandoti di non perdere mai un bersaglio.
For departments like Pelham, thermal imaging is quickly becoming a critical capability for modern policing.
Compact, intuitive, and designed for field use, the Flir Scout Pro helps officers detect threats earlier, search more effectively, and operate more safely during night patrols and high-risk calls.
As Halliday’s experience shows, thermal imaging is no longer just a specialised tool—it’s becoming an essential part of everyday law enforcement operations.
