Ferguson Police test out new less-lethal alternative ballistics weaponry.

[Second Coming of Madman]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ferguson-mo-police-department-is-first-in-us-to-test-less-lethal-gun-attachment/2015/02/03/c6772af8-abb7-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html

It seems that the Ferguson PD learned something from last year's shooting and subsequent protests, and they've started to test out a rather interesting new technology in terms of less lethal. Say hello to the Alternative Ballistics, kiddos.



That ridiculous little orange cap on the end? The bullet embeds itself within that, then keeps going with reduced speed. Enough to knock you on your ass but nothing more.

[Svata]

Cool and all, but they can still kill your ass dead if they fire more than once.

[Ultimate Paragon]

Good!

[Canadian Mojo]

Cool and all, but they can still kill your ass dead if they fire more than once.

And standard procedure pretty much seems to be mag dump until target stops moving.

I can also see potential problems with range, accuracy, catching on holsters etc. limiting its real world usefulness. vs. an actual taser or shotgun with beanbags.

[Askold]

As far as I've understood that toy might be cheaper than a taser but otherwise it is just not as good.

With a taser a single shot might be enough but I think usually people fire more than one beanbag when they are using those (and wouldn't it be better to use the shotguns they already have to fire beanbag ammo?)

Actually, there might be another benefit. If/when the first shot isn't enough they can claim that they tried to use less-than-lethal methods and mag dump on the suspect.

[mellenORL]

As far as I've understood that toy might be cheaper than a taser but otherwise it is just not as good.

With a taser a single shot might be enough but I think usually people fire more than one beanbag when they are using those (and wouldn't it be better to use the shotguns they already have to fire beanbag ammo?)

Actually, there might be another benefit. If/when the first shot isn't enough they can claim that they tried to use less-than-lethal methods and mag dump on the suspect.

Nailed it. "Claim". That's Ferguson PD's reason for this in a nutshell. This device reminds me of a really silly crowd funding item I saw recently where they carry on about how we are evolved to defecate in a squatting position, so here is the Answer - a two thousand dollar raised lip squat toilet. Go Fund Me! The point being, using a small stool for your feet to achieve the same anatomical position works as well, and in Asia squat toilets were perfected generations ago. Bean bag shotties already exist. So does bear spray, if you really want another LL option besides the Taser (both of which can and do kill people with heart conditions). The real answers are better police tactics and policies and training and psych screening...not a plastic dud ball.

[Dakota Bob]

As far as I've understood that toy might be cheaper than a taser but otherwise it is just not as good.

With a taser a single shot might be enough but I think usually people fire more than one beanbag when they are using those (and wouldn't it be better to use the shotguns they already have to fire beanbag ammo?)

Actually, there might be another benefit. If/when the first shot isn't enough they can claim that they tried to use less-than-lethal methods and mag dump on the suspect.

The beautiful thing about electricity is that it can really stop a motherfucker in their tracks.

[Tolpuddle Martyr]

Less than lethal is such a weird euphemism considering people have totally been killed dead with plastic, rubber and wooden bullets, also Tasers.

[Sigmaleph]

Well, yes, but people have been killed by pretty much everything. It's hard to make a device that can reliably stop someone but has no risk at all of killing them, and you're going to need some name for the things. Can't call them "non-lethal" because clearly people die, can't call them "probably not lethal" because that's a terrible PR campaign. Less-than-lethal is a weird compromise, but it works.

[Ultimate Paragon]

Well, yes, but people have been killed by pretty much everything. It's hard to make a device that can reliably stop someone but has no risk at all of killing them, and you're going to need some name for the things. Can't call them "non-lethal" because clearly people die, can't call them "probably not lethal" because that's a terrible PR campaign. Less-than-lethal is a weird compromise, but it works.

Exactly.  Remember: people have been killed by champagne corks.

[I am lizard]

If it's less than lethal how do you kill people with it?
There's black people who are still alive Dammit!

[ironbite]

I can kill a man with a fish wrapped in newspaper.

Ironbite-anything is a weapon in the right hands.

[Old Viking]

Cotton balls are the answer.  They're not heavy, and they are biodegradable.  What you do is, you pelt the malefactor with cotton balls until he, she or it gets annoyed and leaves.  Some kinks to be worked out. 

[Lt. Fred]

Know what would be less lethal? A better police force.

[Askold]

Less than lethal is such a weird euphemism considering people have totally been killed dead with plastic, rubber and wooden bullets, also Tasers.

I think the point was, that they won't call it "non-lethal" because those things can kill, but are less likely to do so. Usually (apart from few unlucky occasions) the death come from misuse or too numerous use of the less than lethal weapons. Like tasering someone 5 times or using bean bags from point blank range.