June 5, 2020
New technology shows promise for addressing concerns about potential bias in policing. Duke University adjunct physics professor Henry Everitt and colleagues recently invented a type of laser that emits beams of light in the electromagnetic spectrum between microwaves and infrared light called the ‘terahertz gap.’ The laser’s terahertz radiation, or “T-rays,” can see through packaging and clothing, much like an X-ray, but without the health hazards. If utilized by police, the technology could detect concealed firearms, helping to ensure race is not a factor in pedestrian searches.
Bennett Capers, professor at Brooklyn Law School and former federal prosecutor, describes the use of concealed firearm detection technology as a solution that will improve policing. “Cameras and terahertz scanners do not have implicit biases,” he said.