From what I’ve observed in my short time working in the law enforcement industry, there are at least two things affecting law enforcement’s adoption of new technologies. First, many in law enforcement are cautious about new technologies that are publicized as the ‘latest and greatest’ (rightfully so). Second, budget dollars run the show and oftentimes agencies go without the technology due to lack of funds or they get rid of older equipment in order to afford newer stuff. One technology I’ve been following closely as it relates to law enforcement is the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly referred to as a drone.
Though not immediately new, UAVs in law enforcement are proving to be useful time and time again. Agencies that have implemented UAV technologies have been using them in search and rescue efforts and crash scene reconstruction, among other things. In Nebraska recently, authorities reportedly used a UAV to locate several individuals who fled from an illegal cockfighting incident, according to The Plattsmouth Journal.
As UAS technology evolves, so too will its applications.
In California, the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) announced a test program in which drones can be deployed to a scene within two minutes from CVPD headquarters, to provide police with video and decision quality data. Since CVPD began operations this October, a drone has been deployed more than 30 times. About 30 percent of those calls were related to some type of disturbance and about 17 percent of the time, drone pilots were able to clear a call without ground units responding, thereby keeping officers free for higher priority calls.
In Kentucky, the city of Louisville is also reportedly considering using UAS devices to augment its ShotSpotter system. The idea is that aerial drones will be dispatched in the seconds after shots are detected. Over a four-year period, the city of Louisville will test the concept of using self-guided drones to investigate crimes.
Unmanned aircraft system devices are also a popular consumer technology, too, leading to a different type of drone product and application: counter-UAS. One company even released a fully autonomous UAS that works to detect, classify and secure intruder or threatening drones via a net. For law enforcement, this could mean protecting the skies better during large events such as sporting events, parades, etc.
UAS programs come with their fair share of challenges, though. In Hartford, Conn., the city council is weighing a proposal that would require all city agencies to gain permission for current and new methods of surveillance—including drones. According to the Hartford Courant, the measure would require law enforcement to seek approval for all existing programs within 120 days. If council members don’t come to a decision, police must halt their use of the technology.
Some communities are concerned about drone technology and how it relates to their privacy—a concern that will not likely wane in 2019.
Stay safe, readers.
Adrienne
