U.K. riot police to be equipped with laser rifles, Terminator not included
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Will futuristic flash guns stop looters in their tracks?
The summer of 2011 marked a trying time for much of the United Kingdom. Social unrest sparked riots in the country's population centers and local law enforcement agencies were largely unprepared for the amount of looting and wanton destruction that took place. In an attempt to learn from their lack of preparedness, the U.K. government agency known as the Home Office — which is responsible for general security — will be testing new laser rifles meant to deter looters and rioters.
The weapon — named SMU 100 — can project a squared beam of highly intense light capable of temporarily blinding one or more targets for several seconds at a time. The gun's effect is said to be similar to staring straight into the sun, and produces a disorienting and dizzying sensation meant to temporarily incapacitate. Riot control officers could use the rifles to stop looters and vandals in their tracks without the use of tear gas or other non-lethal tactics.
The SMU 100 has other uses beyond civilian riot control, and its manufacturer — a company called Photonic Security Systems based out of the U.K. — is also marketing the device as a pirate deterrent for commercial shipping vessels. Details on when and where the new riot tool will be tested remain unknown, but in the future it may make looters think twice before snatching products through broken business windows.
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