Some of the technologies are relatively well developed and need only refinements and commercialization, while others are still at the proof-of-principle stage. Technologies in the area of vehicle pursuit/interdiction pertain to the safe apprehension of a driver who refuses to stop when ordered by a law enforcement officer; they are designed to avoid high-speed chases. The Auto Arrestor System uses a short pulse of electric current to burn out or disrupt critical electronic devices in the ignition systems of modern automobiles. The Check-point Barrier Strip is a lightweight tire deflator that, when deployed and activated remotely prior to being driven over, will rapidly deflate a vehicle's tires. The Fleeing Vehicle Tagging System is a proposed technology that would launch a less-than-lethal projectile that embeds a radio-frequency transmitter tag into the fleeing vehicle, so it can be tracked without a high-speed chase. The Retractable Spiked Barrier Strip is a prototype technology that remotely extends and retracts spikes on a roadway strip, allowing it to be placed in position far in advance of the appearance of the targeted fleeing vehicle. Technologies for use in confrontational scenarios pertain to safer and more rapid resolution for confrontations that carry the risk of death and injury. These technologies include airbag restraints for patrol vehicles when transporting suspects, a disabling net and launcher system that restrains resisting suspects, a disorienting pulsed light, a pepper spray launcher/disperser, a position-locating device, a projectile launcher with impact velocity control, and a "Smart Gun" that recognizes the user and can only be fired by an authorized user.
New Technologies Demonstrated for Law Enforcement
NCJ Number
211735
Date Published
September 1995
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The law enforcement technologies described in this article pertain to vehicle pursuit/interdiction and law enforcement-related confrontational scenarios.
Abstract