NYPD Agrees to Limit Use of LRAD Systems During Protests

The NYPD has agreed to limit the use of Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD), colloquially called "sound cannons," during protests as part of a lawsuit settlement that also comes with a price tag of $750,000 for the city, new court documents reveal.

The settlement, filed in Manhattan federal court Monday, ends a five-year legal battle over the police department’s use of the equipment during demonstrations protesting the death of Eric Garner in December 2014.

“The NYPD has voluntarily agreed to ban the use of the LRAD’s alert tone going forward,” a city spokeswoman said. “The NYPD has found a path forward that satisfies both law enforcement needs and the plaintiffs’ concerns about the use of the LRAD.”