Is Gun-Sensing Technology The Solution To Gun Control?
From the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in 2012 to the Paris attacks in 2015, people around the world have almost become numb to the constant news of mass shootings.
The recent shootings at the Christchurch mosques in New Zealand and a Wal-Mart in El Paso, Texas, have brought the topic of gun control again to the forefront of global issues. One resort in Las Vegas is incorporating the use of microwave technology to keep guns out of its casino. Could this be the answer we’ve all been searching for?
Luckily, you don’t need to worry about installing microwave tech to have fun with mobile casino games. Safety is guaranteed when you play in the comfort of your own home.
Current International Gun Control Policies
Countries around the world have been trying to find solutions to stop the violence. New Zealand is among many to begin cracking down on guns. Although this nation has not seen as many mass shootings as other countries, the recent Christchurch mosque shooting on March 15 of 2019 caused them to spring into action. A single gunman entered two mosques, killing 50 people. Not even one month after the shootings, New Zealand voted to ban nearly all semi-automatic and military-style weapons.
Current owners of these banned firearms have until the end of September to surrender their weapons to a buyback program. If they do not return them, they may face up to five years in prison. New Zealand clearly does not mess around.
Gun control is moving more slowly in the United States. In 2019 alone, the country has experienced the paralyzing effects of at least 300 deadly mass shootings at the time of writing this article, involving from three to more than 20 victims. The latest major cases have been in El Paso, Texas (22 killed and 24 injured at a Wal-Mart on August 3, 2019) and in Dayton, Ohio (9 killed and 27 injured on August 4, 2019).
How is the United States dealing with this noticeably large number of shootings per year? The first thing you need to know is that President Trump’s thoughts on gun policy fluctuate frequently. Following these two recent attacks in El Paso and Dayton, Trump deemed background checks “important” and also mentioned that he wanted to prohibit the use of guns when it comes to “people with rage or hate.” However, two weeks later, he told the National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre that he was not going to make any changes. However, the very next day he claimed once again he was in support of background checks and that his administration would be pursuing enforcement. This fluctuation is nothing new for Trump, dating back well before his 2016 election.
After the Parkland school shooting in 2018, Trump also claimed he was going to be “very strong” about background checks, but earlier in 2019 he threatened to veto bills that expanded background checks. Now, in recent months he has tried to also link weaponry background checks with immigration laws and has blamed mental illness for the issue, putting out a call to open up more mental institutions.
Whatever Trump truly believes is the answer to gun control, nobody seems to know, and it does not seem to be forming a solid solution for the United States. The biggest reason for his constant redoubling on gun control ideas seems to be his links to pro-gun organizations, which help put him in office.
Canada is also not immune to spree shootings, although the nation’s numbers are less than the US. This North American country helps prevent mass shootings and sprees by requiring everyone to take a firearms safety course and pass a test, background check, and conduct reference interviews before they can acquire a firearms license. Carrying firearms for self-defence against human threats is prohibited. Restricted weaponry (requiring an additional course and special storage requirements) includes handguns with barrel lengths greater than 105 mm. Prohibited items include fully automatic weapons and most military-style arms, along with handguns with a barrel equal to or shorter than 105 mm and those chambered for .25 and .32 cartridges.
Technology as a Solution
Obviously, tighter gun regulations are working for some countries. In other countries where it is more difficult to enforce gun control, a casino in Las Vegas may be demonstrating a solution. Recently, the Westgate Resort in Vegas started to use a weapon-sensing device called the PATSCAN Cognitive Microwave Radar. Produced by Patriot One, this security technology hails from Canada. It incorporates short-range radar with machine learning algorithms to scan all guests filing into the casino for guns, knives, and bombs. The guests do not have to line up and pass metal detectors, like in TSA. These PATSCAN units are also small enough to hide, keeping them unseen from the guests, yet adding maximum security.
Although it may take time for schools, malls, and other public areas to catch on to the possibility of the PATSCAN CMR as a solution, we can hope, for the world, that this technology ties into the growing list of gun control options.
