LRAD Sonic Weapon

In a little over one week in November 2009, the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) brought public attention to Vancouver Police Department (VPD) purchase of a sonic weapon, and then had the satisfaction of having the VPD “commit to disabling that [weapon] function” (News Release – BCCLA, 17 Nov).

The LRAD (long-range acoustical device) has a capability of emitting “powerful deterrent tones” that can permanently damage human hearing and induce visual disturbance. In October 2009 the VPD spent $17,000 to acquire a second-hand Model 500 LRAD (Pemberton, 11 Nov).

When the purchase became known to the public, VPD representative Lindsey Houghton responded to questioning about the weapon potential of the device:

We can’t rule out anything in the use of this device at any sound level. We carry firearms. We can’t rule out the use of those to stop a threat. We possess tear gas. We could use that in a situation where there is a riot. This is no different. (Grindlay)

At the same time, Houghton was claiming that a “public address system” was the intended use.

Two days later, BCCLA Executive Director David Eby questioned that claim by pointing out

• That an effective and comparable public address system could be bought for $5,000 to $10,000 less
• That the intensely focused beam of sound produced by the LRAD offered benefit as a weapon and dysfunction as a public address system

Eby also attacked the disingenuous claim that the equipment had not been purchased for the Olympics. Ironically, Eby became aware of the acquisition through informal conversation with a police officer who participated in legal observer training that was being offered by BCCLA (Solomon).

When the VPD announced that the weapon capability of the LRAD would be disabled, police representatives explicitly left the door open to exploiting “alternative uses” of the device in the future.

 
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(In chronological order)

“BCCLA demands policy for VPD Olympic sonic gun,” News release – BC Civil Liberties Association (9 Nov 2009)

Lora Grindlay. “Vancouver police to use noise device for crowd control,” Province (11 Nov 2009)

Mark Hume. “ ‘Sonic gun’ raises suspicions of civil libertarians,” Globe & Mail (11 Nov 2009)

Kim Pemberton. “New hailer is a loudspeaker, not a crowd-control device, police say,” Vancouver Sun (11 Nov 2009) A5

David Eby. “VPD should be more forthcoming on use of its noise device,” Vancouver Sun (13 Nov 2009) A14

Linda Solomon. “LRAD, police accountability, and the BCCLA: the David Eby story continues,” Vancouver Observer (16 Nov 2009)

“VPD disables sonic gun in response to BCCLA objections,” News release – BC Civil Liberties Association (17 Nov 2009)

Kim Pemberton. “Loudspeaker to have painful ‘tone’ disabled,” Vancouver Sun (18 Nov 2009) A3

Megan Stewart. “VPD will disable ‘sonic cannon’ Chu tells Police Board,” Vancouver Observer (18 Nov 2009)

“Vancouver police to disable new ‘sonic cannon’,” Globe & Mail (18 Nov 2009)

Jen Cutts. “Vancouver police buy ‘sonic gun’,” Macleans (26 Nov 2009)

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