Two months ago, three officers in Cedar Rapids filed for workman’s compensation, saying they developed cancer from using hand-held radar guns. Yesterday Adam Smith, a spokesman for the Iowa Highway Patrol, announced an ordered ban of hand-held radar guns.
“The feeling here is to err on the side of caution until more is known about the issue,” Smith said.
The ban will be put into place because of concerns that troopers could develop cancer due to long-term exposure to radiation emitted by the devices. The ban was put in place as a precaution, and studies are being done to see if there are possible links between cancer and the use of radar guns.
This ban will bring 70 radar guns out of service, and troopers will use units with transmitters mounted to the outside of their vehicles.