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From: daver@sci.UUCP
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Future Police Speculations Needed
Message-ID: <10785@sci.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Nov-87 18:05:30 EST
Article-I.D.: sci.10785
Posted: Mon Nov  2 18:05:30 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Nov-87 02:12:55 EST
References: <1463@haddock.ISC.COM> <1824@trex.rutgers.edu> <23473AE4@PSUVMA> <7731@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP>
Organization: Silicon Compilers Systems Corp. San Jose, Ca
Lines: 36
Xref: hoptoad alt.cyberpunk:142 rec.arts.sf-lovers:8349

In article <7731@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP>, davidsen@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP (William E. Davidsen Jr) writes:
> While there's room for enhancement here, the laws of physics pretty much
> prohibit a truly effective body armor which can be carried by a
> reasonably mobile man...

_Hammer's Slammers_ has a nice discussion on weapons/armor of the future.
Probably applicable.

> How about hovercraft or other ground effects machines. They will travel
> over much worse terrain than a conventional car. Even my 4X4 won't go on
> TOP of a lake.

But your 4x4 will go up a 30% slope.  A hovercraft won't, unless it's got
enough boost to go into ducted fan mode.  I suspect that the police will
have access to VSTOL aircraft (and maybe supersonic fighters), but that
the typical police cruiser will be a lightly-armored landcar.  More heavily-
armored vehicles reserved for special situations.

> > ...chemicals for hostage situations...
> I'll leave it to a doctor to argue that one... I think that the speed of
> action would be limited by the rate of delivery to the brain... neither
> solution in blood, direct permeation of cells, or attack on nerve
> channels would seem to work fast enough.
> 
> I think what you propose would only be accomplished by something direct
> acting, like radiation or sonic stunning. How about something which
> paralizes the voluntary muscles?

Like a .44 slug or a fragmentation grenade?  I suspect that the police might
adopt a somewhat simpler approach to hostages--find out where they are,
and blast the shit out of the kidnappers.  A trifle hard on the hostages,
though.


david rickel
decwrl!sci!daver