By Robert Putnam, Senior Marketing Manager, Genasys Inc.
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- Traditional PA systems and sirens are often ineffective in chaotic, high-noise environments. You want superior voice clarity and extended range, ensuring critical instructions are heard and understood.
- How do you maintain a safe distance while communicating effectively. Real-world examples highlight how Genasys has helped law enforcement manage multi-channel alerts, boost operational readiness, and coordinate multi-agency responses.
- De-escalate dangerous situations and minimize confrontation without compromising public safety.
- New LRAD RT systems introduce Reach Technology, enabling networked remote operation and integration with command centers, giving law enforcement more flexibility and safer standoff capabilities.
Reducing loss of life, minimizing chaos, and maintaining control when law enforcement officers are deployed for crowd operations, tactical response, or emergency management, can be achieved with clear and authoritative communication. In the cacophony of sirens, shouting, and high-stress situations, traditional vehicle-mounted public address speakers and bullhorns often fall short. Facing high stakes situations ranging from civil unrest to active shooter scenes to large event management, law enforcement needs a tactical edge; a communications solution that cuts through noise, distance, and confusion to get the job done.
Today, long range acoustic devices (LRADs) are redefining how law enforcement agencies manage incidents, de-escalate high-risk situations, and provide life-saving support to their communities. During critical emergencies, make sure you are armed with unmatched voice clarity, range, and reliability when you need it. And with new LRAD Reach Technology (RT), these proven capabilities are now enhanced in facilities and fixed public spaces, like courthouses, police campuses, or civic squares, giving officers the ability to broadcast instructions without direct exposure to volatile environments.
Reach Technology: Remote Control for Safer, Smarter Policing
Gone are the days when law enforcement had to rely solely on manned systems and physical presence. Genasys’ new LRAD-RT lineup introduces “Reach Technology,” allowing full digital control with no extra hardware. These systems are designed to seamlessly integrate with command centers to be used at a safe distance.
Why it matters for law enforcement
For decades, LRAD has given officers unmatched clarity and range in the field. Now, RT extends those same capabilities into fixed and networked environments. Law enforcement agencies can operate LRAD RT systems directly from command centers, precinct control rooms, or mobile command vehicles. The result: faster coordination, safer standoff, and consistent messaging across multiple devices. In volatile or high-risk situations, officers no longer need to stand beside the system to operate it.
Use cases for Genasys LRAD RT
- Courthouses, police headquarters, and detention facilities: Pre-installed LRAD RT units can be activated remotely during protests, disturbances, or lockdowns, allowing officers to issue clear instructions from secure interior locations.
- Civic squares and protest corridors: Cities can place RT systems at known assembly points, giving law enforcement the ability to deliver synchronized dispersal orders across zones without exposing personnel in the crowd.
- Stadiums and arenas (shared responsibility with venue security): During large events, RT systems can be tied into the joint operations center, so police and venue staff coordinate a single, unified voice for crowd management and emergency instructions.
- Transit hubs: Transit police or city PD can broadcast remote instructions to platforms and entrances flagged by surveillance systems, managing overcrowding or directing passengers during security incidents.
- Schools and campuses (shared responsibility with administrators): Pre-installed RT gives law enforcement override capability during active shooter or lockdown scenarios, broadcasting instructions across exteriors, car lines, and athletic fields.
- Evacuation corridors (where law enforcement leads hazardous response): When chemical spills, hazmat incidents, or industrial fires require rapid evacuation, RT systems positioned along key intersections allow the EOC or command post to keep traffic moving with clear, consistent instructions.
The LRAD-RT family (including the 450XL-RT, 500X-RT, and soon to be released 1000Xi-RT and 1950XL-RT) performs automatic diagnostics at power-up and enables real-time adjustments to volume, direction, and playback. Every model is MIL-STD tested for durability, ensuring the same reliability officers already trust in LRAD, now with the added advantage of networked control.
When paired with Genasys Protect software, LRAD RT becomes part of a larger emergency communication ecosystem. ACOUSTICS systems can broadcast wide-area alerts while RT units deliver targeted instructions, all managed from the same interface alongside mobile, email, and social notifications.
This level of integration, reliability, and clarity makes LRAD RT indispensable for modern law enforcement, helping officers communicate more effectively, reduce risks, and safeguard communities through connected, remote-ready technology.
Building on a Proven Foundation
While Reach Technology introduces exciting new possibilities for fixed and networked deployments, LRAD has already been trusted by law enforcement in the field for more than 20 years. From active shooter incidents to civil unrest and large-scale evacuations, agencies continue to rely on LRAD and ACOUSTICS to deliver commands that cut through noise, confusion, and chaos. The following examples show how law enforcement has already leveraged Genasys hardware over the years.
An Extra Layer of Safety for Active Shooter and Armed Suspect Incidents
During an active shooter event or an incident where a suspect is barricaded, time and clear instructions are often key to a peaceful resolution. Law enforcement officers must be able to issue commands from a safe distance and de-escalate high-risk situations without further endangering lives and public safety.
In Canada, police used an LRAD from 100 meters away to instruct a wounded barricaded gunman to cease fire. He surrendered immediately. In another case in Pittsburgh, a prerecorded message from a suspect’s mother was broadcast via LRAD into his home; he complied and surrendered without incident. These outcomes underscore the critical role LRAD plays in resolving high-risk situations.
In addition to LRAD, law enforcement agencies also use ACOUSTICS systems to broadcast shelter-in-place, evacuation, and ‘All Clear’ messages to nearby areas. This allows officers to focus on neutralizing threats rather than manually alerting communities. And in the event of a power loss, shut down, or blackout, ACOUSTICS, with battery backup capabilities, can still bring the message to community members in real time.
Keeping Order While Minimizing Force During Civil Unrest & Mass Gatherings
Using traditional mass communication methods, law enforcement personnel simply don’t have the audio range required to communicate to crowds. Depending on system design and need, LRADs and ACOUSTICS systems help fill this gap by enabling law enforcement to issue clear, audible messages and dispersal orders during noisy and potentially volatile environments.
Used as part of a proactive policing situation usually results in crowd compliance with minimal to no confrontation. In these times of social unrest, law enforcement must ensure public safety without compromising civil liberties—both LRADs and Genasys ACOUSTICS solutions can help strike that balance.
As an illustration, during a tumultuous post-game celebration in Columbia, South Carolina, LRADs were deployed to issue dispersal orders. The result was crowd compliance with minimal arrests and no reported injuries.
In large public squares or stadium-adjacent areas, where infrastructure allows, LRAD RT can be pre-installed as part of a shared operations approach. Venue security manages day-to-day use, but law enforcement gains remote access during events or crises, ensuring unified crowd messaging from the joint operations center.
Don’t Rely on Sirens Alone During Emergency Responses or Evacuations
Siren-only systems are effective at signaling danger, but they cannot deliver clear and timely instructions or actionable public safety guidance. In emergency situations such as wildfires, floods, or chemical leaks, law enforcement and emergency personnel need to provide specific, actionable instructions. Genasys ACOUSTICS, with its 360° range, fills this gap with intelligible, high-coverage voice commands that ensure residents know whether to evacuate, shelter in place, or take other life safety actions.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, National Guard units used LRADs to deliver post-disaster information and instructions across devastated neighborhoods. During the 416 Fire that swept through La Plata County, Colorado, the Sheriff’s Office used a truck-mounted LRAD to issue evacuation orders to residents in real time. Unlike sirens, both LRADs and Genasys ACOUSTICS make it clear what to do and where to go, as well as issue “all clear” messages when appropriate.
Tactical Superiority in Unpredictable Environments
During civil unrest scenarios or tactical deployments, projecting a clear, audible voice can mean the difference between escalation and resolution. LRADs (with their 30⁰ targeted voice and sound capabilities that can be mounted, mobile, or handheld) and Genasys ACOUSTICS systems (with their 360⁰ broad coverage capabilities that can be deployed permanently or trailer mounted) outperform PA systems by delivering clear voice commands directly to intended recipients—even amid crowd noise, sirens, or chaos. However deployed, LRADs or ACOUSTICS can provide acoustic precision that allows officers to maintain communication and control from a safe distance.
| LRAD | ACOUSTICS | |
| Directionality | Highly directional (~30° beam), targets specific individuals/groups | Directional (60° – 360°) or wide-area coverage |
| Coverage & Range | Long distance: up to 5 km in one direction | Area coverage: 0.45-3.5 km radius (up to 14 km²) |
| Max SPL Output | 135-160 dB peak @ 1 meter depending on model | 127-143 dB peak @ 1 meter depending on emitter configuration |
| Mobility | Handheld, vehicle-mounted, helicopter-mounted, portable kits | Fixed installations, trailer-mounted (360XT), portable mast options |
| Integration & Automation | Often manually operated; some network-capable (RT/NXT models) | Fully integrated with Genasys Protect Platform, remote control, automated triggers |
| Primary Applications | Targeted communication, tactical law enforcement, military, maritime hailing | Mass notification, public warning, campus/industrial alerts |
| Example Models | 100X, 450XL-RT, 500X-RT, 1000Xi, 1950XL | 360XL, 360XL-MID, 360XT Trailer, DS-60XL Arrays |
As recent examples, both the Riverbend Music Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo replaced their bullhorns and vehicle PA systems with LRAD and ACOUSTICS systems to ensure public safety messages are clearly heard and understood by their large crowds. The outcome at both venues has been safe and orderly crowd movement with minimal disruptions.
With LRAD RT enabled models installed at key venues, known protest corridors, or high-risk gathering points, these same deployments can now be managed directly from a command center, allowing synchronized instructions across multiple units without placing officers in volatile environments. With the addition of remote surveillance these areas can be protected and controlled at all times.
Elevate Public Safety with Voice Clarity that Commands Attention
Modern public safety now depends on trustworthy communication tools that reach the right target with the right message at the right time. LRAD by Genasys and ACOUSTICS are designed to equip law enforcement agencies with the ability to command attention, deliver critical instructions, and de-escalate volatile situations through acoustic messaging devices that are operations-tested, field-proven, and trusted in critical scenarios.
Whether managing a large event or responding to an active threat, law enforcement professionals deserve tools that safeguard lives through clarity, control, and communication.
Contact Genasys to learn more about our acoustic device hardware and the supporting SaaS software solutions.
