The Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Las Vegas Police Department, as well as law enforcement entities in Maryland, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania and elsewhere have purchased ATK's advanced D-tect Systems technology to alert them to potential radioactive threats.
Brian See, president, ATK Mission Research, says the D-tect Systems' hand-held detector can sense minute amounts of radioactive material instantaneously at distances in excess of 25 feet with near 100 percent accuracy.
"D-tect Systems' products operate in the fast-paced, real-world environment of law enforcement and public safety," said See.
"They can locate small amounts of radioactive material hidden in a container or transported in a truck or car. The detectors provide law enforcement agencies with sophisticated new tools to significantly enhance public safety."
Most detection systems currently available require thirty seconds or more to process the data and need the material to remain motionless to confirm the presence of radiation.
In addition, most systems are unable to detect trace amounts of radiation material or material shielded in hardened containers that make it transportable.
The D-tect systems are distributed to public safety agencies through ATK vendors and private label suppliers Laurus Systems, Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation, and Tomorrow D-tection.