Set phasers to "tickle". Because jolly criminals are less likely to experience recidivism. It's a known fact.

ps61318

Minority Report sick sticks please!

Optimus-Prime

Why don't they just train officers to aim for the knee caps? That's non-lethal and more often than not, brings a criminal or suspected criminal or annoying protester right down.

Hectorvex

@Hectorvex: Note: The UK does not allow standard patrol officers to carry guns. You have to be in a tactical response unit to carry firearms.

That being said, the knee caps comment was uncalled for. Do some research before commenting. If I was aiming for the knee caps of someone, when they are running, and I miss, is it your kid you would want my bullet to hit after it skids off the ground and goes up again?

There's no abort button for bullets, they go until they hit something that stops them, or they go so far that the force from the explosion in the gun runs out.

We aim for the center mass of the body, because it's the easiest to hit, and can have the desired affect.

Remember: We shoot to stop the threat, not to kill.

ViperBorg

@Hectorvex: The knee cap is a small target and could prove difficult to hit reliably. Make your first couple shots go to the chest, that should slow the perp down enough to take a shot at his head, then when he's on the ground, shoot out his knee caps... that should stop them.

Rabid Penguin

free micro derm abrasion

lldsandsll

After I learned (over time) of all the spying gear craze in UK, crazy web companies who filter ALL user's data to commercialize it, of policemen shooting people for "not looking right" in subway I am altogether not surprised at all that V For Vendetta and Children Of Men are placed to happen in good ol' Empire. The Big Brother is watching!

tabaks

@ViperBorg: You can't hug your children with nuclear arms...

Invisobel

@Curves: Unfortunately, it only reacts to biological matter. :(

So much for the nude bomb theory, I liked that one. :)

ViperBorg

"Immobilizer glue-guns", (I SO want to see video of that); "Sticky electro-shock nets", (didnt Spiderman already do that?) and "vomit-inducing stink bombs", that would be my bosses cologne. If the laser burns off the outer layer of skin, doesnt it also burn off their clothing? Nude bomb!

Curves

Hmmm.. this has potential! Step 1. Irritate a police officer step 2. Free tattoo removal!

professor

So what's wrong with tasers? Not good enough?

ripfire

@ViperBorg:
"That being said, the knee caps comment was uncalled for. Do some research before commenting. If I was aiming for the knee caps of someone, when they are running, and I miss, is it your kid you would want my bullet to hit after it skids off the ground and goes up again?"

Effective population control... (obviously officers would not be held accountable).

Why not just make tracking mini-harpoons. Dart the perp and then just wait for the dot to stop moving. Have you ever tried removing a fish-hook from skin other than your hands? Now do the dart with a barb 4-6x bigger and possibly multiple barbed points.

Just cuz its "non-leathal" doesn't mean it can't draw a little blood right?

bpapa9013

@ViperBorg:

Yezz mazzter, whateverzz you sayzzz. Click! Oops, sorry if I sound less than convinced. So here's the scoop: I do not break laws, I was brought up that way by people who cared for me. And I STILL have NO respect for law officers. They are liars, bullies and most of them murderers waiting to happen. Unfortunately, also sometimes the lesser of two evils. However, the way they act these days, it is if they're paid to protect their lives, not ours. How convenient.

tabaks

but would these measures stop the london silly nannies football team? i say not!!!!

@Hectorvex:
@ViperBorg:

you shoot for the biggest target, therefore center mass wins!!

godwhacker

@ViperBorg

If they are running away... are they still considered a threat?

dOk

I'll just cover my skin with the "Miracle car wax"!

That can repel lasers!

dufus

@dOk: Depends. Are they running away to go and shoot someone else? Or are they simply fleeing? If the subject has a weapon, and I witnessed him commit a "forceable" felony (i.e. commit a murder), and he's running, with the weapon in hand, is it reasonable to think he may do it again? If yes, he's a threat. Hard decision to make in less than a few seconds, but welcome to the stress of the job.

And you see why I have little respect for people who think Law Enforcement is a joke. You decide what ramifications your decisions can make when it's life or death. Do you stop him there, or let him go?

ViperBorg

I still think the paintball guns with powdered capsaicin filled balls is the best. You get the "Oh sh!i I've been shot reaction", then the paralyzing capsaicin powder to finish the job.

It's long range, it hurts, it's disabling, but non lethal and unlike pepper spray you can accurately fire a very small (but effective) dose.

KLanD

Don't Lase me, bro.

DeusExMach

@KLanD: And they're fun!

ViperBorg

@ViperBorg: Ah, the truth at last: It's fun to shoot people.

DeusExMach

@KLanD: The problem with all non-lethal (or less-than-lethal) weapons is that they CAN be lethal in certain circumstances. They must be used in very specific ways and with lots of quality training. See here how the 'non-lethal- pepper ball did in fact result in the death of a woman: [www.washingtonpost.com]

Yes, these non-lethal devices are preferable to guns, and they can be very effective and safer when used correctly. Unfortunately, as we have all seen with Tasers, some people get lax about their use. Just because something is billed as non-lethal doesn't mean it could never kill someone. If these types of tools are to be used by law enforcement they must be respected and approached with the same sort of training as guns. Using them right can reduce danger/harm, using them wrong can still result in death.

And is anyone else alarmed by the increasing appearance of non-lethal weapons that are basically stop-via-torture? Like this skin burning LASER? Last I check the 2nd layer of skin isn't impenetrable, so what happens when the officer keeps shooting the same spot?

jtheletter

@DeusExMach: I never said it wasn't.

ViperBorg

Me thinks it would be safer to have a squid-launching gun. - Launch Squid - Squid wraps around target - Squid deploys black liquid all over target and tickles target to rendition. Much safer!

ElCabong

i cant wait till those low powered lasers get shot at someones face, and only burn off the outer layer of skin of their eyes.

everybody remember when those dam laser pointers first started to get popular how often you got hit square in the eyes with them even though the things had a big sticker on the side saying "NOT IN THE EYES"

getting my skin burned off is a hell of a lot worse than just getting Tazed

"TAZE ME BROOO TAZE MEEEE"

spider2544

So the laser burn off the top layer of skin eh? Um... wear a jacket

bflaming55

@ViperBorg: "We shoot to stop the threat, not to kill?"

I call shenanigans on that, bro.

Years ago, as a child, I toured FBI headquarters. They were completely unequivocal about the aim (so to speak) of shooting someone: "We shoot to kill, not to wound."

I think that is the policy and the genuine sentiment among the (admittedly few) law enforcement professionals I've encountered.

(Welcome to Gizmodo, bastion from critical thinking.)

ps61318

i wish they had that when there were fatal stabbings in london when i visited. haha

rimplestultskin

@ElCabong: Squid launchers? Sounds like somebody's been watching WAY too much Japanese tentacle-porn! Haha! Great concept though; at least the cop shooting it gets to say "So long, sucker!".... to the squid!

professor

phasers[as I know them] use a lazer to ionise the air, so making it possible for this channel of air to contuct electricity.
That lazer's gonna burn I think.

Not temporally definate but, that's today.

The illest wind

As a Brit i think what the police all around the world need are cat launchers.

simond10