Toronto (February 6 2011) – Ontario’s Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) has released the Terms of Reference for its review of Long-Range Acoustical Devices (LRAD). These devices have caused considerable public controversy in recent years due to their ability to cause significant pain and hearing loss. The Ministry’s review will examine the risks associated with the operation of LRADs, which are colloquially known as sonic cannons, and determine whether the devices should be classified and regulated as weapons under the Police Services Act. Currently the MCSCS does not provide police services in Ontario with any direction or guidance regarding use of LRADs. In CCLA’s view, this creates an unacceptable risk that the weapon could be used in an excessively dangerous manner.

The issue of LRAD use by police came to a head last summer, when the Toronto Police Service obtained four LRADs in advance of the G20 Summit, which they intended to use for a variety of purposes, including crowd control. Concerned about the risks associated with the use of LRADs, the CCLA successfully obtained an injunction restricting the manner in which the Toronto Police Service could use the device during the G20.

Toronto police want to keep 52 of the 77 surveillance cameras they temporarily purchased for the G20 summit, more than tripling the force’s stock of CCTV equipment.

They would buy them back at half price from the federal government, which is footing the bill for G20 security.

The police also plan to buy back 400 of 5,200 sets of tactical safety gear, including helmets, gas masks and eye shields, as well as the three sound-cannon LRADs police acquired leading up to the summit.

These temporary mega events are commonly exploited to purchase expensive and controversial military weaponry and surveillance equipment that may otherwise not be permitted by the public and local budgets. It is understandable that these groups would be reluctant to return these devices and or dismantle new surveillance networks.

Stephen Graham discusses this in Cities Under Siege, the key book of military urbanism.

The Ontario Ombudsman report has also been released, condemning the the summit's mass civil rights violations. It is available here.