Update: The interview aired on July 8, 2016 at 1pm. A link to the interview can be found here: https://kpfa.org/player/?audio=237264. A link to the KPFA Project censored archive can be found here: https://kpfa.org/program/project-censored/.
Helpful Links:
Many people are unaware of how new technologies including advances in less lethal weaponry are developed and implemented in American policing.
The interview references research into development and testing of advanced less lethal technologies by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), a division of the Department of Justice. Five phases comprise the process (http://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/Pages/research-development-process.aspx) :
- Determine technology needs.
- Develop technology program plans to address those needs.
- Develop solutions.
- Demonstrate, test, evaluate and adopt potential solutions into practice.
- Build capacity and conduct outreach.
NIJ research includes live evaluation of CED use in the field as well as reconstruction of fatal CED incidents, among other study types. For example,
(1) In a two-year study piloting a less-lethal monitoring system, Wake Forest University piloted a study where NIJ-funded researchers and medical personnel coordinated with six police departments to follow police CED activity under “real world conditions,” accompanying suspects to the hospital following CED exposure (http://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/less-lethal/Pages/safety-of-conducted-energy-devices.aspx). See also “Monitoring Police Use of Conducted Energy Devices” (http://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/less-lethal/pages/monitoring-ced-use.aspx). See also NIJ grant supplemental award detail, “a pilot study will be conducted that will demonstrate metabolic and electrocardiographic changes over time in a group of subjects who have been exposed to a CEW during their apprehension and arrest” (http://nij.gov/funding/awards/pages/award-detail.aspx?award=2004-IJ-CX-K047, click “View Description”).
(2) The NIJ has also supported research reconstructing CED incidents. “NIJ is augmenting medical data through a detailed reconstruction of fatal incidents. NIJ is collaborating with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to conduct field research to support the reviews. The IACP is examining the incidents, reconstructing the chain of events that occurred before the deaths”
(http://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/less-lethal/Pages/safety-of-conducted-energy-devices.aspx).
Photo Credit: YYZ John ND86 – Microphone via photopin (license)[/caption]