Scottsdale, AZ police to deploy drones as first responders
Arizona police departments are set to introduce drones as part of their emergency response teams. Scottsdale’s police department will lead the way by deploying a unique fleet of drones equipped with special detection cameras to quickly respond to potential crime scenes and emergencies.
The drone technology comes from a new drone startup called Aerodome and public safety technology company Flock Safety, which makes gunshot sensors, analytics software and cameras that can monitor nearby areas and read license plates. Scottsdale PD’s drones respond to emergencies in real-time and provide first responders with a bird’s-eye view of emergencies as first responders arrive in the area.
Drones can be deployed by police and emergency dispatchers, as well as Flock cameras that detect illegal activity, such as stolen vehicles or cars that match the descriptions of an AMBER alert. They can even follow a suspect silently while officers handle multiple 911 calls and maintain an aerial view of the fleeing vehicle without compromising the safety of officers and bystanders.
The use of Drones by law enforcement agencies has increased over the years. More than 1,500 police agencies use them in some capacity, according to Axios. First responders may see these drones as a useful tool, but there are also serious concerns about protecting citizens’ constitutional rights to privacy.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has expressed concern about Flock’s license plate reader cameras. Last year, the ACLU expressed concern about the use of “eye-in-the-sky policing” by law enforcement and urged communities to “install guardrails that prevent the expansion of these activities,” according to an editorial written by an ACLU senior policy analyst. Jay Stanley.
“It’s not clear where the courts would draw the line, and it’s highly likely that other, more localized uses of drones will become so common and routine that, without strong privacy protections, we’ll end up with the functional equivalent of a mass surveillance system in the sky,” Stanley wrote.
There are currently some federal regulations in place that prevent police departments from misusing drones and maintain some level of safety. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricts the use of police drones within the operator’s line of sight. A drone must not weigh more than 55 pounds, including any equipment attached to it or items it may carry to an emergency, and cannot fly more than 400 feet above the ground or structures.
