laser pointers

[Bruce Bugg <BRUCEB@psc.state.ga.us>]

>>There recently was a discussion of the ubiquity and safety of laser 
pointers here on radsafe.  I thought I'd report that a bill has just 
passed committee in Arkansas to ban the sale of laser pointers to 
minors.  <snip>  I wouldn't be surprised if 
their was a lack of scientific expertise in their deliberations. I 
think the ban is a good idea anyway;  my wife was a bit rattled when 
she turned away from the blackboard in the college class she was 
teaching and found that she was being laser-pointed.  <snip><<

There is another element to this: Police officers, knowing that laser
sighted weapons are out there (many officers and agencies use them)
automatically regard ANY laser dot pointed at them as a threat.
Legitimately so, it appears, beacuse two Chicago cops were shot recently
by a subject who used a laser-sighted handgun.

On a restricted news list (so I can't directly quote it here) we had
several officers throughout the country relate stories of people
illuminating cops with laser pointers "to see what would happen." When
the cops reacted by drawing guns, seeking cover, and going into a
felony-apprehension mode, the games suddenly turned very un-funny.

Some of our officers have related the same type of story to me. 

Parents of childern in moving cars have found themselves the subject of
a felony stop when the kids lit up a passing police car. 

Non - LE types may think that type of response is an overreaction, but I
disagree. 

I fear it will not be very long before we hear of some "innocent child
who was just playing" getting shot by a police officer who reasonably
feared for his or her safety of the safety of someone else.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Capt. Bruce Bugg
HazMat Specialist - Enforcement Officer
Ga. Public Service Commission
1007 Virginia Avenue, Suite 310
Hapeville, GA  30354-1325
voice:	404.559.6627
fax: 	404.559.4972
e-mail:	bruceb@psc.state.ga.us
or:	75720.1177@compuserve.com


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