Movies have really altered how real-life cops work; in real life no cop shoots a criminal in leg or aims for the weapon in their hand. The real-life cops are instead trained for going for the center of mass. The idea is not to kill but to rather stop the suspect, however, owing to the force with which bullet makes impact; the result is mostly the same. ‘The Alternative’ has been designed to arm officers of law with an option that is less lethal and can stop suspects without imparting any lasting injuries. The device comes in the form of a clip-on air-bag for the semi-automatic pistols and reduces the velocity of a standard round transforming it into a less lethal round.
The gadget has been developed by Alternative Ballistics of Poway, California and was designed to create a force capable of stopping the target without making any penetration into the skin and thus averting any lethal damage. The Alternative is based, in part, on the feedback, provided by Special Forces and law enforcement agencies. It is a plastic carrier that usually is kept in a belt pouch. The gadget has been designed to fit over the semiautomatic pistol’s muzzle and can be installed via one hand thus helping officer to keep his eyes focused on the situation at hand. The carrier doesn’t interfere with the under-barrel rail or the pistol’s sights.
The front of the bright orange carrier sports a hollow sphere that has been created from a proprietary alloy and catches the bullet, subsequently embedding with it when it leaves the barrel. The bullet and ball fuse together and bullet’s speed is reduced by 80%. This reduced speed still delivers a punch to the perpetrator, however, doesn’t feature enough kinetic energy for the bullet to be lethal.
The carrier is ejected after the round has been fired while the pistol chambers another round. This enables the police officer to fire another shot right away (given that the lethal round is required after the first shot). The Alternative can be easily removed and returned to its pouch if it is not used.
Alternative Ballistics also provides with a two-day instructor course along with the gadget and its legal implications.
