Law Enforcement Utilizes Drones to Fight Against Sexual Assaults at the Beach

Sexual assault incidents have experienced a significant surge globally. Sussex Police have taken action in light of a concerning rise in sexual assaults occurring on Brighton’s beachfront. To bolster safety, they have introduced nightly drone patrols, implementing these inventive strategies to protect both residents and tourists, especially those who partake in the city’s lively nightlife on weekends.

How do drones help?

The drones put into use by the police are equipped with thermal sensors, a spotlight and speakers, which monitor the beach area and gathering areas in the evening. These late-night drone missions take place mainly on Fridays and Saturdays and are designed to stop sexual violence and speed up police response if violence does occur.

As reported by DroneDJ, Brighton seafront has been the scene of a number of recent crimes, including rape, prompting the relocation of this surveillance flight from neighboring West Sussex. Two trained Sussex Police pilots fly the drone over Brighton seafront. Their duties include identifying potentially vulnerable individuals and alerting their colleagues in the field or nearby officers when suspicious activity is detected. This aerial approach is expected to be more effective than traditional foot patrols, especially in the challenging terrain of sandy beaches and darkness.

Superintendent Adele Tucknott, Sussex Police’s head of violence against women and girls, highlighted the primary aim of the drone patrols, she said: “It’s an extra pair of eyes in the sky that gives a whole new perspective to areas that are typically harder to reach, like the beach, which officers on the ground can see just as easily .”

This deployment follows an earlier security initiative by private British company Drone Defence. The company proposed an app-based system that allows individuals under threat of attack to summon a drone to their location. The drone would then use lights and sounds to scare away attackers while recording video evidence of the incident.

This effective use of Drones shows that technology can be more useful in ending sexual violence and saving lives if used wisely. Drones can be an amazing tool for law enforcement to prevent heinous crimes.

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