more on Police test hi-tech zapper that could end car chases

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: July 12, 2004 8:36:43 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Re: [IP] more on Police test hi-tech zapper that could end car 
chases

> From: EEkid () aol com
> Date: July 12, 2004 7:07:58 PM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Subject: Re: [IP] Police test hi-tech zapper that could end car chases
...
> He explained that the high energy
> microwave pulse can and does cause injury to human eye tissue, and the
> nervous system.  Despite this well known fact, he said they were
> determined to make this product available to law enforcement.  In his
> exact words "the thing really messes up anyone it's pointed at"

Dave, one can just imagine the "interesting" times ahead when the 
fun-loving
general public gets hold of such devices.  A gadget that "really messes
people up" from a significant distance?  Oh sure, we'll be told that 
they
will only be sold to legit law enforcement entities.  But we all know 
there
will be abuses by some of those entities, not to mention accidents.  
And how
long will it be before these units turn up on the black market, or 
people
start building their own.  One can just imagine a couple of sickos 
working
their way down the street zapping people left and right with impunity,
laughing all the way home.

All this to stop vehicles in chases, eh?  Sure enough, those chases are
horribly dangerous.  But many of them are also unnecessary in the first
place, putting innocent people's lives at risk to catch a couple of 
kids who
stole a car, for example.

Perhaps companies who might want to market such devices should be 
required
to test them first on their own executives.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () privacyforum org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - 
http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
                     Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy


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