Police are Using Drones in 911 Calls

AlphaAtlas

AlphaAtlas

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VentureBeat reports that police in Chula Vista, California are successfully using drones to witness and record crimes as they happen. The police department launched the partnership with Cape last year, and since October, the two remotely piloted drones have reportedly "assisted in 21 arrests, spanning 249 flights over the course of 81 flight hours." The report specifically mentions a case where a woman allegedly tried to run over a man on an (allegedly) stolen bike, and that the drone's observation of events will be used in court even though no police officers were physically there to witness the crimes. Fire departments are reportedly interested in the drones as well, and it sounds like the trials will expand to other areas sometime soon.

Check out the department's announcement video here.

Other participants in San Diego, the largest city in the country participating in the program that required a regional government sponsor, include UC San Diego Health to deliver blood and medical supplies, Uber Eats for food deliveries, and AT&T to test 5G networks. The first responder concept means drones are not deployed after a crime occurs, but proactively deployed for a large number of scenarios. In almost all instances, Sallee said, the drones gets there before officers in vehicles on the ground. The pilot program is currently limited to a one-mile radius around headquarters in downtown Chula Vista, the area of the city most likely to make 911 calls for police.
 
BloodyIron said:
I'm not really seeing a problem with a drone being used by a police force for recording only purposes. Seems like something fair and square they can use to do a better job.
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The slippery slope though becomes how often the drones are deployed, and how much video they can collect. At worst, this can devolve to "a camera on every street corner" levels of surveillance.

Now, if the drones are limited to investigating/recording a crime currently in progress, then I don't see an issue. But there is a mechanism for serious abuse here.
 
This seems like a potential breech of privacy to me. Not a fan of this idea at all. And it's a slippery slope before they have these things patrolling neighborhoods, and flying over people's backyards, having a mechanical malfunction and killing some poor kid.
 
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BloodyIron said:
I'm not really seeing a problem with a drone being used by a police force for recording only purposes. Seems like something fair and square they can use to do a better job.
Click to expand...

I do. Warrantless survelliance.
 
LEO should be able to FAIRLY utilize technology for the SAFETY of citizens and officers.

Long as usage stays on those rails and doesn't impede privacy in non-public places/where it is expected, I say about time!!
 
What does this have to do with 5G cell towers?
 
I was primarily meaning in the scenario of a crime in progress. And without violating rights to privacy (no recording inside homes, or areas you wouldn't be able to record otherwise).

I'm coming at it from the angle of like a Police Helicopter, except more agile and lower to the ground. (cheaper too!)

gamerk2 said:
The slippery slope though becomes how often the drones are deployed, and how much video they can collect. At worst, this can devolve to "a camera on every street corner" levels of surveillance.

Now, if the drones are limited to investigating/recording a crime currently in progress, then I don't see an issue. But there is a mechanism for serious abuse here.
Click to expand...
 
I think perhaps we had different ideas in our heads when we read what I wrote.

I was meaning during a crime in progress, and not used in a way that would violate privacy. I'm thinking like a Police Helicopter kind of situation.

kju1 said:
I do. Warrantless survelliance.
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There was a show on broadcast tv recently where some guy bought a police department and deployed a "super drone". I think it did have a taser on it. The shows was hard to watch, so I don't think I get past a few episodes of it.
 
I'm concerned that funding and deployment of these could lead to a cut in physical officers and less urgency in certain scenarios. Reports of prowlers, people breaking into cars, trespass, etc., might become low priority with drones being used as the 'first option'.
 
I wonder how they would feel about the validity of drone footage featuring an incident of police brutality/corruption/failure of due process.

I'm guessing these flights would violate the restrictions placed on unmanned operations for private citizens over populated areas. Those restrictions were put in place for privacy and safety reasons I find to be pretty valid. Why allow the police to violate these restrictions if they are valid? What's stopping them from using this footage for searching out and investigating unrelated infractions they would have never known about otherwise? Who's responsible for whatever damage or injury is inflicted by these craft when one eventually malfunctions?

You stop being law enforcement when you break the law in the name of upholding it. Local PD should always have to operate within the constraints under which it's citizens live, otherwise they are just another group of thugs with guns. They are not the military, which has it's own justice system, no matter how much some of them wish they were. As already mentioned, one must be ever vigilant for the slippery slope of complacency. We've slid down too far already, if I'm honest, but you have to try.

I'm giving a [H]ard NO on this one.

Food for thought: If you live in the US right now, you are a law breaker. No matter who you are or where you live, our law books are so convoluted that each and every one of us is an outlaw in some way. So if you think you have nothing to worry about, you're wrong.
 
BloodyIron said:
I think perhaps we had different ideas in our heads when we read what I wrote.

I was meaning during a crime in progress, and not used in a way that would violate privacy. I'm thinking like a Police Helicopter kind of situation.
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That is indeed different than what I was thinking.

sfsuphysics said:
Difference between this and police helicopters? I mean other than being much cheaper.
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I was thinking these would be used to violate rights.

nightfly said:
Can't wait. I have something right here that they can look at. It ain't gonna be pretty.
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You realize that would net you with an indecent exposure right? in most states its illegal to be nude in your own home if someone can see you through the window.
 
steakman1971 said:
There was a show on broadcast tv recently where some guy bought a police department and deployed a "super drone". I think it did have a taser on it. The shows was hard to watch, so I don't think I get past a few episodes of it.
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APB
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5542294/

I watched the whole series via DVR, it showed a reasonable stretch of existing and near future tech but hard sell to general audiences. The tech gimmick of the week kinda got annoying when things "conveniently" went wrong or right.
 
gamerk2 said:
The slippery slope though becomes how often the drones are deployed, and how much video they can collect. At worst, this can devolve to "a camera on every street corner" levels of surveillance.

Now, if the drones are limited to investigating/recording a crime currently in progress, then I don't see an issue. But there is a mechanism for serious abuse here.
Click to expand...

Fortunately current regulations require a licensed pilot to operate them, making it pretty expensive to just poke around blindly looking for targets of opportunity. Until automated drones become legal, at least.
 
Wrecked Em said:
Fortunately current regulations require a licensed pilot to operate them, making it pretty expensive to just poke around blindly looking for targets of opportunity. Until automated drones become legal, at least.
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Not really - I wouldnt say its fair to lump them in with professional pilots. A drone pilot just has to pass a knowledge test and then they get their cert. Thats hardly the same as a licensed pilot. A real licensed pilot has to undergo a fair amount of training before they are allowed to attempt to get their license. Then they have to pass a knowledge test, an oral exam and a flight exam.
 
Seriously? It's a crime to use a bicycle to run over someone? I'd think the pain of the crash after doing so would be sufficient punishment.

The drone thing: I'm conflicted. Authoritarian/government use of non-targeted surveillance systems strikes me as being wrong. We're watching...
 
c3k said:
Seriously? It's a crime to use a bicycle to run over someone? I'd think the pain of the crash after doing so would be sufficient punishment.

The drone thing: I'm conflicted. Authoritarian/government use of non-targeted surveillance systems strikes me as being wrong. We're watching...
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Sure why wouldnt it be? Its battery by bicycle...
 
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