Ferguson, MO
LRAD systems were used by local and county law enforcement to communicate to and disband large protests during the civil unrest that lasted for several days.
“You had a large concentration of people out here on the street…Once the LRAD sounded, a couple of warnings from the loudspeaker, the people scattered all at once…particularly once the LRAD went off. I was surprised to see just how effective that was.”
– Reporter Mike Tobin
View Fox News clip covering the use of LRAD systems to alert demonstrators and communicate messages and instructions.
NY, New York Police Department
The New York Police Department has used LRAD for crowd communications and control during the Republican National Convention protests in 2004, the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011, the Black Friday and Eric Garner protests in 2014, and at certain Times Square New Year’s Eve celebrations.
G20 Summit Protests, Pittsburgh PD
The Pittsburgh Police Department used several LRAD systems to communicate to unruly crowds and disperse unlawful protests during the September 2009 G20 Summit.
Nate Harper, the Pittsburgh police bureau chief, told reporters. “It served its purpose well.”
Raymond DeMichiei, Pittsburgh’s deputy director of emergency management and homeland security, stated the devices worked well without hurting anyone. “Every police officer I talked to thought it worked famously,” said Mr. DeMichiei, who ordered the devices for Pittsburgh. “The bottom line is we could maintain order with the protesters without hurting them. It makes them uncomfortable but does not hurt them,” he said, noting that Pittsburgh police had been trained to use the devices properly.
Pittsburgh PD officers also use LRAD systems for a variety of situations including peacefully ending barricaded subject situations.
Singapore
More than 1,000 foreign workers were stranded in buses during a traffic jam that lasted several hours. An LRAD 100X was used to explain the situation to the frustrated workers in several different languages, calming and defusing a potentially volatile situation.