One of the first arrests of a U.S. citizen was made with the assistance of a Predator spy drone in Nelson County, North Dakota, as covered by the A.W.A.R.E. (Alerts, Warnings, and Responses to Emergencies) Forum. In atleast two dozen recent cases drones have been used to assist law enforcement with aerial surveillance, thanks to advancements making drones smaller, lighter and less expensive. Eight Predator spy drones operate on the northern and southwestern U.S. borders to search for illegal immigrants and smugglers. Drones have the ability to watch a target for much longer than police helicopters and other manned aircrafts. This ability is useful in hostage situations, large-scale disasters and manhunts.
As beneficial as drones may be for Public Safety, they are still a controversial topic sparking privacy concerns. U.S. courts have a long history of allowing law enforcement to conduct aerial surveillance without a warrant, since what is done in the open (even behind a backyard fence) can be seen from a passing plane and is not protected by privacy laws.
As debates over safety and privacy continue, the relevancy of this issue increases and more agencies are exploring the viability of drones in law enforcement operations.
The Department of Homeland Security released a Request for Information (RFI) September 24, 2012 regarding their Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety (RAPS) project, which seeks to further the use of these types of technologies for Public Safety.
How far away do you think your city is from utilizing drones for law enforcement? What is your opinion of the privacy issue surrounding this technology? We invite your comments below.
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