Sonic control of teenagers in Gloucestershire

The story at the link below is unbelievable. Apparently (and I had to do a reality check here) Gloucestershire police have "used a mosquito device to help crack down on low-level anti social behaviour to help disperse groups of young people who were causing distress to residents."

The article on the police site is worth a read. It goes on... police apparently responded to "an elderly couple reported problems with youngsters playing football in a nearby car park during the evenings" The owner of the land was persauded to remove the lighting - thus ruining the football.

Frankly - how could it have come to this?

" Extensive trials have shown that teenagers are acutely aware of the mosquito and move away from the area where it is deployed within a few minutes. But, because it takes a minute or so for the sound to make any impact - even on teenagers - genuine visitors who are only in the area for a minute or so are unlikely to suffer any consequences. " Teenagers then are not 'genuine visitors'?

What has happened that young people who have the wit and energy to organise a football game are attacked with a sonic device for 'anti-social behaviour'? I thought devices like this were used to dispel hedgehogs in gardens? Indeed they are; you can buy them from the link below.

Words fail me. This is 1984 and Clockwork Orange all rolled into one.

How can you expect young people to grow up and 'behave' or be 'polite' if they are treated like vermin?

The er comments about 'protecting the vulnerable' and 'not wanting to stop youngsters having fun' are ridiculous. What is not 'well behaved' about wanting to play football exactly? Since when was using sonic devices on children 'well behaved' or 'polite'?

If the car park is really not a sensible place for a football game then perhaps a pitch can be provided?

Interestingly as per the article linked below defensetech.org the US military is expanding its use of sonic weapons.

Links


BBC News Online
Gloucestershire police
Buy your own sonic pest control device for instance the 'Animal Away' device
Or, if that's not enough for you (article about US development of sonic battlefield weapons defensetech.org) ... Hey; you could blow away a whole 'gang' of unruly teenagers with one of these things