Rather than shooting into the air to scare the rioters, what the VPD needed was a directed energy system like the ADS.
http://www.activedenialsystem.net/
I dont care how drunk or high you are, if I can stand a block away, and make every inch of your skin feel like a white hot 120W bulb is being pressed against it (whether that patch of skin is covered in clothing or not), with no burn marks later to show your personal injury lawyer, then I pretty much own you.