Military and law enforcement has a tough job to do. Fighting crime and terror, defeating risks the world over, and creating a safe environment for civilians to raise families and enjoy freedoms. Law Enforcement technology has come a long way since the days of the old west gunslingers. The technology starting to breakthrough and that which is on the horizon is some of the most fascinating that has ever seen. Law Enforcement technology is taking great leaps forward, in some cases literally (see number 3 on the list).
Metamaterial cloaking camouflage
Cloak and Dagger is an excellent platform for usage, and maybe even a potential brand name for this technology, which at its current stage employs hundreds of thousands of mirrored holographic discs to blend into an environment. The potential for operatives, snipers and entry teams to avoid detection by sight makes it almost an unfair fight. Law enforcement by fear alone? It’s a distinct possibility that simply knowing law enforcement can act counter to a criminal without their knowledge could decrease criminal activity at even the highest threat levels. Currently only in its infancy, metamaterial cloaking is one of the more widely desired, and closely watched technologies especially in the law enforcement space, as it has the opportunity to have the single biggest impact on human personnel law enforcement procedure of any other conceived technology. Future designs will likely include a combination of shape changing liquids/materials and highly faceted reflective discs which can also absorb color and light to further disguise the user in a more natural way. It has worked for Harry Potter, and within the decade it may provide an amazing supplement to law enforcement agencies in the fight against terror, and all manner of other criminal activity.
OICW gun
After a brutal standoff in Los Angeles, Ca where local law enforcement were forced to borrow firepower from local gun shops to level the odds against a heavily fortified and well equipped duo of bank robbers, agencies began to adopt Military weapons systems as standard equipment. The OICW XM-8 and XM-29 should be no exception when it is released for production. Started sometime in the late 1990’s with a view to the replacing an aging design in the M-16/M-4 infantry weapon, the OICW has had its fair share of delays, redesigns, and future proofing. It’s likely that the jointly worked project (collaboration between Heckler and Koch, the US department of Defense) will debut in late 2012. Aside from having an intimidating look, the OICW Bullpup style weapon combines an infantry rifle with a 25 mm grenade launcher capable of firing the next generation of HEI-T (High-Explosive Incendiary with tracer) ammunition. These are being dubbed the ammunition of the future with the capability of using range defined explosive charges to allow for a complete weapon system to be carried by each soldier or law enforcement office who is given one. The ammunition can be dialed in to do any number of “tricks” including: exploding over a target (like a wall), entering into a building before exploding, and range finding the enemy for strategic maneuvers from over 400 meters away. With qualities like this, it blows video game arsenals out of the water, and provides law enforcement with firepower never before seen.
Unmanned drones
Perhaps the future of border protection and drug enforcement agencies, unmanned drones and robots allow law enforcement to obtain surveillance and complete missions without being in harm’s way and without introducing the potential for human error into the mix. Drones can currently: provide high quality images and video, track targets of extreme interest from beyond detectable ranges, and even complete tactical bombing runs. This is just the start. As the technologies continue to improve, agencies someday see entire offensive completed by unmanned “cost effective” (relative to current technologies) drones with multiple purposes. Currently the drones are typically singular in purpose, used for a very specific jobs and only great at one thing. Future models promise more capabilities, and even more precision for mission completion. Unmanned drones are currently used to provide intelligence from restricted airspace, and to track terrorists and drug traffickers, the drones are quickly being snapped up by law enforcement agencies to assist in ever more dangerous situations.
Metabolic supplements
The future of energy science also includes supplements for human consumption, which can tailor the energy needs of a soldier or law enforcement officer to the support he has available. The ability to forget about having to support fundamental human needs could offer an incredible enhancement to the future law enforcement agent. Being able to control which energy gets used where, allows (theoretically) agents and officers to be faster, stronger smarter, and longer lasting than the opposition. It’s a bit like Viagra for the entire body. Products and procedures which would allow the genetic re-engineering of the metabolism, not only makes overweight people everywhere drool, it makes it possible for a soldier, officer or agent to function at peak capacity without the need to stop and eat, or even worry about eating for days at a time. In reality it’s not as far-fetched as it may seem. Scientists in several well respected labs have already made excellent headway in developing injections that can re-engineer human metabolic processes.
Scents based riot control and sound waves
Stink bombs? Really? Yes, Really. The first generation of riot controlling sound and scent based deterrents are in use now with an excellent track record and several high profile successful victories. Last year in one of the most dangerous waterways anywhere on the globe, pirates attempting to board a civilian cruise ship were effectively deterred with a sound producing device made to keep birds from doing their business in sensitive areas. These machines which aim highly concentrated sound waves at potential threats render the target unable to use hands as they cover their ears. Called LRAD (Long Range acoustic device), the equipment can provide accurate and effective deterrence for riot control and secured building defense. It projects a 95+ decibel sound profile at the target causing immediate inefficiency and requiring the target to seek a different position or change their once aggressive stance to that of a grandmother in front of a speaker at a rock concert. Future versions boast longer ranges, wider effective fields of sound, and more intense sound projection. Combined with other emerging technologies like scent based deterrents which can cause vomiting, inability to focus, dulling of sensory capability, and a desire to relocate, this technology can be effective riot control or defense for a high risk area. Scents are now starting in the test phases for effectiveness and potential replacement of high pressure water hoses and rubber and bean bag projectiles for such situations. Scents like Skunk, and feces, and even some concentrations of more commonly-thought-of-as-pleasant chemicals can incapacitate in some cases. In almost all cases, they can break down a target’s will to maintain an aggressive position. Smell has the unique ability to both build up and break down barriers simultaneously depending on how they are used.
