First State Legalizes Taser Drones for Cops, Thanks to a Lobbyist
It is now legal for law enforcement in North Dakota to fly drones armed with everything from Tasers to tear gas thanks to a last-minute push by a pro-police lobbyist.
With all the concern over the militarization of police in the past year, no one noticed that the state became the first in the union to allow police to equip drones with “less than lethal” weapons. House Bill 1328 wasn’t drafted that way, but then a lobbyist representing law enforcement—tight with a booming drone industry—got his hands on it.
Once it became received wisdom that a police officer’s first priority is to get home safe, it was inevitable that they’d increasingly turn to robots to do their mundane-thumping for them as the technology became available. And of course it’s inevitable that the hardware will incur lethal levels of mission creep. Remember when Tasers were introduced as instruments for kinder, gentler policing?
h/t to Claire.
I’m sure that there are ways to bring these pests down without shooting them. For example, use a drone of your own with fishing line and hooks dangling from it to mess with the armed one. Or, if one is handy with electronics build a RF jammer.
http://www.instructables.com/id/RF-Jammer/?ALLSTEPS
If one was real daring, a standard domestic microwave could be focused using a parabolic dish to direct the beam on a single source capable of destroying and disrupting circuity in cameras and motors. Downside is, mistakes could be dangerous or fatal…
Butt these things will never be needed because armed drones will never be misused… Right.
I’m thinking the microwave oven generator and a parabolic dish is the way to go. Not sure of the distance it would reach. Me thinks this needs a little experimentation. Inquiring minds want to know.
Huh. I think you guys just invented the raygun.
It’s funny how the ruling class doesn’t seem to understand that drone technology is more dangerous for them than it is for the peons. They will rue the day they got on board with drones…
BTW here’s an article I wrote about drones:
http://ncc-1776.org/tle2013/tle712-20130317-06.html
Larry Niven predicted this. Copseyes.
He also predicted organleggers. Planned Parenthood.
The UN as the lone world power. Then 9 foot tall intelligent cats eating us.
Also, be cautious about eating the roots of unfamiliar plants…
The roots would actually have a certain appeal. Just make sure you have some pre-root DNA on hand so you can clone yourself (easy to figure out how to do that when your IQ is in the four-digits or better). No worries about lack of descendants when you can just bake up a new one on demand:-D.
The lack of a sex life…well, I’m sure a Direct Neural Interface coupled with either a really good VR system or a fully realistic android body would get around that little issue handily.