San Jose cops deploy military LRAD 'pain-sound' devices at TownHall meetings

10News ^ | September 15, 2009

[Joiseydude]

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego County Sheriff's Department Tuesday responded to 10News' report about a new sonic weapon known as a Long Range Acoustic Device, or LRAD

The device was originally made to be used for war, and it emits high-pitched sounds as a form crowd control.

On Monday, members of the American Civil Liberties Union spoke with 10News, and they expressed outrage that local law enforcement had the device and that they had brought it to recent town hall meetings in case things got out of hand.

[DuncanWaring]

Here they go again.

[edcoil]

Drudges report says San Jose but it is a story about San Diego —

[Joiseydude]

On Tuesday, Ed Musgrove of the sheriff's department told 10News the device was only being used for good, like helping search-and-rescue teams and warning residents during fires or floods.

Right, if you believe that one I have a bridge I'd like to talk to you about.....

[mylife]

No wonder these doofus’s are broke. What other high tech toys do local police have?

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

[JOAT]

LEOs better figure out who they work for.

The first time they deploy this kind of crap against people peaceably assembling and expressing opposition opinion will be the signal that they have become the enemy.

Choose wisely, 'sheep dogs.'

[oyez]

Kevin Keenan, of the ACLU, said, "We think that local law enforcement shouldn't be using military style weaponry like that."

So they were expecting crowd of Obama people?

[svcw]

Wasn’t this a South Park episode.

[Freddd]

Something bad is coming...

[kimoajax]

I know a fellow who worked for the company who developed this technology. It can also be used on cruise ships to repel pirates. It is extremely effective.

[Natural Law]

Does anyone know if the presence of such a weapon was requested or approved by the congressman whose Town Hall it was present at?

[Nervous Tick]

What other high tech toys do local police have?

Not exactly "high tech", but... remember this li'l plaything?

[mylife]

L0L

[Regulator]

Interesting that the San Diego County Sheriffs have no problem planning on using this against the people they allegedly work for, but to my knowledge have never deployed on the border against criminals crossing illegally....in crowds.

Interesting in the extreme.

[clamper1797]

The first time they deploy this kind of crap against people peaceably assembling and expressing opposition opinion will be the signal that they have become the enemy.

And need to be treated a such .. that being said .. my nephew is a San Jose area CHP. He would NEVER condone the use of this "contraption" or any other item like it

[SoCalPol]

San Jose is around 300 miles + from San Diego

Only the Left Wing and the Paulitess have a sh**fit on this.
This is a non story.

[Rebelbase]

“Interesting that the San Diego County Sheriffs have no problem planning on using this against the people they allegedly work for, but to my knowledge have never deployed on the border against criminals crossing illegally....in crowds.”

That’s because it might disturb the sleep and mating habits of the Sorrel Breasted Mohave Tit Mouse.

[centurion316]

On Tuesday, Ed Musgrove of the sheriff's department told 10News the device was only being used for good, like helping search-and-rescue teams and warning residents during fires or floods.

This is a bold faced lie. LRAD is not a public address system on steroids. It focuses sound (white noise) in such a way to cause pain and discomfort on its target. You want to be somewhere else, and rapidly move in that direction. Using it at a townhall meeting is a serious abuse of police power.

[Balding_Eagle]

It was used on Whale Wars. While it did work, it seemed the effect was as much psychological as physiological.