An interesting photo (there’s a video as well) showed up recently on Reddit causing us to do a little digging.
Around the country, we are seeing demonstrations against police brutality turn violent and even deadly. One tactic used by rioters is to laze law enforcement officers and even their horses with commercial off the shelf laser pointers which may injure the eye or cause blindness for the recipient of the laser energy.
Seattle PD has used the MAWL device as an aiming laser for several years and knew that nearby BE Meyers & Co had developed an eye-safe laser dazzler.
According to BE Meyers & Co, after confrontation with threat lasers, SPD reached out to to borrow a GLARE HELIOS (Class 1M, as opposed to the Class 2M GLARE RECOIL, both of which are FDA approved). Both systems are non-kinetic, less than lethal options for deterrence. Additionally, they are the only two systems in the US approved for use as hail and warning devices by LE.
For those of you unfamiliar with the system, it features their patented SmartRange™ laser range finding technology, and near-field detection to immediately identify range-to-target, and automatically outputs a visible green laser at maximum eye-safe power. Its powerful green beam provides visual escalation of force/hail and warning capabilities from 3 meters to beyond 16 kilometers, safely alerting targets and assisting end-users in determining intent.
Quite simply, the GLARE HELIOS worked. Not only did it distract the laser attackers from focusing their beams on the line officers and instead focus on the SPD Officer using he system, it diverted the attention of the crowd. Every individual that was targeted with the GLARE HELIOS either left the area immediately after being engaged, became ineffective, or was detained by detectives on their way out after being identified.
Organizations seeking this non-kinetic, less than lethal device should visit bemeyers.com.
Along with the GLARE HELIOS, BE Meyers & Co sent laser eye protection by Revision Military (specifically StingerHawk eyewear with GF-8 LazrBloc® lens).
A quick discussion with Revision verified what we suspected, Police from all over have been contacting them for LEP.
Laser threats vary and consequently so do the lenses Revision offers, each tuned to different bands.
Revision offers laser lenses in all their eyewear form factors and the development of custom solutions, but Sawfly and StingerHawk spectacle lenses are in stock.
Contact www.revisionmilitary.com for more details on the laser eye protection systems.