When Law Enforcement Met Industry...Transferring Military Technology

Industry giants represented at the conference included AT&T, Allied Signal, Westinghouse, and Eastman Kodak. Government representatives came from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and police departments. Several specific technologies were discussed at the conference. Road Sentry is a stationary device mounted or placed in a roadway that can deliver a jolt of electricity to a vehicle passing over it, either automatically or by remote control. Road Patriot is a small, rocket-powered sled that is lowered and launched from the front of a pursuing police car; after launch, the device goes under the fleeing vehicle, discharges its electrical charge, and disables the vehicle's ignition system. The NIJ reported on its search for a passive weapon detection system to identify individuals who are carrying a gun, knife, or other weapon without the intrusive physical search currently required. The NIJ has allocated funds to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate promising technologies in the area of passive weapon detection. Other NIJ initiatives focus on smart guns which can only be fired by their owner, sticky foam to immobilize unruly subjects, and a rear seat airbag to restrain unruly individuals in a police officer's back seat. The issue of liability in the development and marketing of police technologies was discussed by conference participants. 5 photographs