Aug 15, 2007 9:40 am US/Eastern
Strobe Light May Be New Tool To Subdue Criminals
BALTIMORE (CBS) ―
A new piece of technology called an "LED Incapacitor," or puke light, is being developed by researchers in California as a safer way of subduing criminals than tasers.
Tasers are the most popular new form of less than lethal force, but there have been almost 200 taser-related deaths in the last 10 years according to the Justice Department, including about half a dozen here in Maryland this year alone.
"Everyone's had, probably, the effect of a flashbulb going off in your face where you turn and try to look and you're seeing the after effect of the flashlight so you can't focus very well at what you're looking at," said John Farina, Intelligent Optical Systems.
The flashing lights cause disorientation and make some people sick to their stomachs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is particularly interested in the tools.
One use could be at the border, where the effects of the lights could slow down illegal immigrants, drug runners or just plain criminals, giving police extra time to subdue a suspect.
"Police departments always need better technology, especially less lethal technology," said Doug Ward, the director of public safety leadership at Johns Hopkins.
But Ward has a long list of concerns, mainly the size. He says the flashlights are too big for officers to carry on their belts, and there's also a big question about how the strobe lights could affect people with mental illness or some medical conditions, like epilepsy.
"You really want some top flight independent testing," he said. "The government needs to fund some truly independent testing."
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