Prisoner bracelet promotion got threats

A defense company has taken off its Web site a two-year-old letter from the Department of Homeland Security touting an electronic bracelet as a way to safely transport prisoners.

After the bracelet received a wave of recent attention from the security and aviation blogosphere, Lamperd Less Lethal of Sarnia, Ontario, removed the letter last week at the request of DHS, which said the department official who signed the letter in July 2006 was receiving threatening phone calls at home.

“We decided we certainly didn’t want him to get more threats, so we took it off,” Chief Executive Officer Barry Lamperd said.

The letter from Homeland Security expressed interest in the bracelet, which has the capacity to administer a debilitating shock to the wearer, as a way to move prisoners.

But Lamperd posted a video on its Web site suggesting the bracelet could replace airline tickets and act as a way to prevent terrorist threats.

The video angered some who were concerned DHS might consider the bracelet for mass use among airline passengers.

Mr. Lamperd said the buzz has died down since his company removed the letter.

“We don’t have any more hate mail,” he said.