A laser scanner which operates pursuant to the elapsed time principle and which has a pulsed laser that directs successive light pulses into a monitored region. The laser scanner further has a light receiving arrangement for receiving light pulses reflected by an object in the monitored region and that generates electric received signals which are fed to an evaluation unit for determining a distance between the object and the laser scanner based on the elapsed time between the emission of the light pulse and the receipt of the reflected pulse and the speed of light from which a distance signal is formed that is representative of the distance between the object and the scanner. There is a light diverter unit between the pulsed laser and the monitored region which continuously directs light pulses along different directions into the monitored region. A light source is provided which emits a light measuring signal of reduced strength which is also continuously directed into the monitored region in continuously changing directions. The light receiving arrangement is configured to receive the light measuring signal reflected by the object in the monitored region and to generate a reflection signal that is representative of the reflection characteristics of the object. The light pulses and the receiving signals are changeable in dependency of the reflection signal.