Court: Police LRAD Sound Cannons Just Like Flash Bangs and Concussion Grenades

By MassPrivateI

Police use military sound cannons or Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) on protesters, activists and motorists across the country.

The U.S. military has been using sound as a weapon in Iraq and the Middle East for years.

When in weapon mode, LRAD blasts a tightly controlled stream of caustic sound that can be turned up to high enough levels to trigger nausea or possibly fainting. The operators [police] themselves remain unaffected since the noise is contained in its focused beam. (Source)

“We’ve devised a system with a multiplicity of individual speakers that are phased so sound that would normally go off to the side or up or down, cancels out, while sound directly in front is reinforced,” Elwood Norris, founder and head of American Technology Corp. of San Diego explained. “It’s kind of like the way a lens magnifies a beam of light.”  (Source)

If you guessed DHS is behind cops using LRADs on the public give yourself a gold star.

According to an article in the Washington Times, DHS has been providing grants for police to purchase LRAD’s and numerous military grade weapons.

The purchase of LRADs by police agencies in the U.S. is approved by the Homeland Security Department, making the departments eligible for millions of dollars in federal grants. Federal and state officials said the grant money is turned over to the states, which decide how to spend it.

Homeland Security officials said they don’t have a list of the law enforcement agencies that have obtained LRADs through its grant programs because the money is administered by the states. (YouTube has more than 5,600 videos of police using LRAD’s on the public.)

What’s wrong with this picture?

Try purchasing a machine gun or semi-automatic weapon and ask the feds/police not to put your name on the receipt and see what happens.

The very people who want to control weapons and track every single purchase made by the public, refuses to track military-grade weapons purchased by law enforcement!

According to an ABC News article, police have been using LRADs on journalists and protesters since at least 2004. (To find out more click here & here.)

Court: LRADs are just like flash bangs and concussion grenades

A recent ruling by the District Court of Southern NY says, sound cannons are no different than flash bangs or concussion grenades.

The use of the XlOO as a projector of powerfully amplified sound is no different than other tools in law enforcement’s arsenal that have the potential to be used either safely or harmfully, one example being distraction devices-items like stun grenade, flash bang, or concussion grenades-which “detonate with a blinding flash of light and a deafening explosion” and whose purpose is to be”extremely loud” and distracting. Terebesi v. Torreso, 764F .3d 217, 236 (2d Cir. 2014). [Source]

“When used properly [these tools] cause minimal damage,” but some courts have held their usage” to be excessive force where the police used clear disregard for the safety of those in the vicinity].“ Ramage v. Louisvile/Jefferson Cnty. Metro Gov’ t, 520 Fed. App’ x 341, 346-47 (6th Cir. 2013)

“Although distraction devices have the potential to be more harmful than LRAD devices because of injury from explosion, both tools can result in comparable bodily injury if used improperly,” Judge Robert Sweet wrote. “This is force, and the kind which could be used excessively.” (Source)

Finally, a judge has ruled police sound cannons are considered excessive force.

You can rest assured law enforcement will appeal the decision.

As NYPD’s Law Department spokesman Nick Paolucci warned: “We are reviewing the decision and evaluating our next steps.”

A recent article in Courthouse News claims, the NYPD pointed LRADs at journalists and protesters who were closer than 100 feet away.

The article also claims numerous people have suffered sinus pains, ongoing headaches, dizziness and ringing in the ears as a result of police LRADs.

In 2009, Pittsburgh police settled two LRAD lawsuits for $215,000.

DOTs point LRADs at motorists

Three years ago, the Missouri Department of Transportation (DOT) pointed sound cannons or LRADs at motorists. (To find out more click here & here.)

How does anyone justify pointing sound cannons at your family or pets?

Why is the mass media silent?

Is this the America you want? Does anyone think a veteran turned cop will think twice about using military weapons on the public?

You can read more from MassPrivateI at his blog HERE.