Instead of paint, fill paintballs with a soporific that is quickly absorbed through the skin, rendering the person unconscious quickly, thus avoiding a long chase, and allowing them to easily subdue perpetrators who hold a weapon of some sort, but have not fired a shot (if it's a gun).

Plenty of skin-absorbed knockout chemicals exist, we just need to choose one.
-- DesertFox, Mar 21 2006

I think [DesertFox] is thinking of a non-lethal response to people just running away, rather than your average armed criminal/terrorist. [DesertFox]?

Incidentally, what are the police snipers (in London) going to do about suicide bombers when they start dressing as emergency service workers? It's the next logical disguise...
-- Texbinder, Mar 21 2006


[Texbinder] Precisely. People such as an escaping theif, or someone with a knife, or someone waving around small arms.

People with a bomb strapped to their chest and stuff like that would be met with SWAT and M16 fire.
-- DesertFox, Mar 21 2006


You know, I think this is actually a really good idea as part of a non-lethal weapon system.

Sure, when someone's threatening to kill you, you kill them first. That's good.

But for crowds and crazies, this would be a really good idea. There's the problem of overdosage, but I was thinking this could be solved by having only a weak dose in each round.

At the very least, reaction times and coordination of the target would suffer, allowing other non-lethal weaponry to be brought to bear easily.

Alternately, having a weak dose increases the margin of error, allowing a squad to totally plaster someone and let them walk away uninjured in the end.
-- Darkelfan, Mar 21 2006


Okay, I'll buy that. But the police already have glue guns to tackle this situation - much funnier.
-- DrCurry, Mar 22 2006


Apparently 'soporific' is the word of the day.
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 22 2006


/...or someone waving around small arms./

I couldn't help laughing as I pictured some madman running around with freakishly small arms. Caught me by surprise, I think
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Mar 22 2006


Dec! Dec, man. I canna see...

Those participating in paintball are wholly recommended to wear goggles for very good safety reasons. What if our assailant/victim is weaing a) lots of protective clothing or b) no safety goggles?
-- Jinbish, Mar 22 2006


I'd wager being hit the eye with a rubber bullet or beanbag would suck a whole lot more than a paintball.

However, it would certainly be thwarted by heavy clothing.

This is why there are rubber bullets, beanbags, and tear gas.
-- Darkelfan, Mar 24 2006


What soporific is to be used? Beer?
-- bristolz, Mar 24 2006



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