Promotional video for the FLIR M300 series.

Disposable cameras are 12 bucks apiece, an off-brand Polaroid costs about $75, and a cheap DSLR goes for $500 — but none of those can see people in the dark, stay still while going over waves or make objects 30 times larger. The $30,000 camera the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is about to purchase can do all of that and more.

The FLIR M364C thermal camera can see heat even in foggy conditions, and the Sheriff’s Office will buy one with funding from the state’s Boating Safety & Enforcement Equipment Grant Program, which is run by California State Parks.

The Sheriff’s Office wants it the camera because it will make finding people stuck in the water much easier — a common problem in a place where waterways are often foggy and even small waves can flip a kayak over. 

“The technology of thermal cameras includes detection of invisible heat radiation emitted by objects, regardless of lighting conditions,” Public Information Officer Meghan Ruiz told the Outpost. “With Humboldt County’s adverse weather conditions of heavy rain and fog, a FLIR device helps law enforcement identify issues with increased efficiency.”

About $1.3 million in total grant money from the Boating Safety program was split between various sheriff’s offices around California. 

“Recreational boaters underestimate the power of the water, how cold the water is, and how quickly a minor incident can turn fatal … FLIR cameras allow for situational information that cannot be seen with the naked eye during these adverse conditions and aid deputies with navigation during darkness,” reads a staff report from the sheriff’s office. “Having this equipment helps create a safer community on our waterways and helps partnerships with other agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard.”