News today that the Vancouver Police have recently purchased a Sonic Crowd Control Device has many civil liberties advocates and liberal college students very concerned. According to the CBC, the medium-range acoustic device (MRAD) “can use sound as a weapon, emitting piercing sounds at frequency levels that cross the human threshold of pain and are potentially damaging to hearing” The police deny that it was purchased specifically for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, which is expected to draw many protesters when it is held here in February. Apparently it’s purely coincidental.

Judging by the outrage over Vancouver law enforcement’s recent record with Tasers in Vancouver I can understand how a sonic super weapon in the hands of Vancouver’s finest may concern some. The dust hasn’t settled from the Robert Dziekanski case in which Vancouver RCMP tasered Polish immigrant Dziekanski numerous times Oct. 14, 2007 after he became distraught by being delayed in immigration. He died shortly after.

For more information on other possible crowd control technologies the Vancouver Police and RCMP may want in anticipation of the Olympics visit this earlier Senses post.

It’s no surprise that some groups are genuinely concerned about crowd control and the use of these technologies at the 2010 Olympics. A recent guest column piece written for the Province by Mayor Gregor Robertson (Vancouver) and Mayor Dianne Watts (Surrey) titled Turning our profile into investment and jobs, illustrates how important the event is not only to Vancouver but the entire region and province. The business community, politicians, civic leaders and proud Olympic supporters in Vancouver and perhaps the whole country, really want this thing to go off without a hitch. A successful Olympics means attracting investment, it means raising the profile of this city and region, creating jobs, and attracting talented and educated people who may have otherwise chosen to move to Seattle, Calgary or San Francisco. OK, maybe only San Francisco.

In any event, I don’t want to be anywhere near that thing when the Police fire it up. I shudder to think what will happen if Team Canada loses in the Gold Medal Hockey Game. Visions of the 1994 riot all over again, this time with piercing brain melting  sonic super cannons. But if I am nearby, I’ll be the guy with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic tinfoil hat stand. 30 bucks each.