Pretty soon, cops won't just be packing stun guns. They'll be carrying electrically-charged riot shields, zapping their unruly without unholstering their weapons. That is, if the folks at Taser International have their way. The company just introduced the "Taser Shield Conversion Kit featuring the Taser Repel Laminate Film Technology."
The kit "features a peel and stick perforated [f]ilm, power supply and necessary conversion equipment. This laminate becomes electrified providing a powerful deterrent to protect officers and keep suspects or rioters at bay." What could possibly go wrong?
Taser is demoing all kinds of gear this week -- from shock-inducing shotgun rounds to "area denial" zappers that can fry groups of people at once. It's all part of the Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization's Mock Prison Riot, a showcase for new police and correctional tech, held annually at on the grounds of the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville. (David Axe covered the so-called "Rage in the Cage" for DANGER ROOM last year.)
The peel-and-stick zapping film will be available towards the end of the year, the company says. Our buddy Lew Page, over at El Reg, wonders, "Whatever's next? Electrified body-armour suits? Gauntlets? Truly, the day of the electric cop would seem to be upon us."
And we can think of lots of other things one might do with this sort of Taser-on-a-roll technology. Troublesome dogs or drunks relieving themselves against your wall? People keep touching your car? Borrowing your stuff? Cover it in peel-and-stick zappercoat (with a car-key-style remote disarm as required), plug it in and watch the fun (and lawsuits) begin.
Poster Comment:
If I am ever at an event and some pig zaps me with one of these things without cause.. I swear I will go home get my gun and blow the pig away. Bullet to the head.
