Adam Stirling Comment
Nov 19, 2009
The ongoing saga of the Vancouver Police Force’s new sonic weapon has taken another interesting turn.
Let me back up a bit for those who haven’t been following this ridiculous story.
The Vancouver Police force recently acquired what is known as an L-RAD, which stands for long range acoustical device. This device, which has been used by cruise ships to repel pirates, and US marines to combat crowds of dissidents in Iraq, uses super high intensity sound waves to cause intense pain, and even temporary disrupt the vision of anyone within its field of fire.
Many people, including myself, found it suspicious that the police force acquired the sonic device, which could be used very effectively against any crowds of Olympic protestors at the games now only a few months away.
The Vancouver Police force maintained from day one that they had bought this ultra-loud sonic projector to only be used a public address system.
Yeah, I know… how dumb do they think we are, right?
Well it turns out I wasn’t the only one who felt like he was being sold a bridge in Brooklyn, so the police force has now had to make good on its word and disable the dangerous capabilities of its new “loudspeaker.”
While on the surface this may look like a victory for civil rights activists I’m not so sure.
I want to know exactly what it would take to re-enable the device’s sonic capabilities and how long it would take to do so.
It’s all well and good promising that you won’t use this sonic weapon, and yes I don’t care what anyone tells you it is STILL a weapon – albeit a broken one – but if it can be easily reactivated, there’s no point.
When this was all announced I said publicly that I thought the Vancouver Police force insisting on using this device for its capabilities as a public address system would be similar to using tanks for security instead of police cruisers because the tanks get better traction in the snow.
From where I sit, very little has changed…
I think the L-RAD should be sent back where it belongs, on a cruise ship somewhere to ward off pirates, or to the Middle East where it can protect western forces… NOT in a place where it can ever be used on Canadian citizens on Canadian soil…
This is Adam Stirling.
