![]() Yet there is a fear that drones also can be equipped with high-powered cameras, listening devices and infrared cameras that can see people in the dark. Radio-control enthusiasts also fly them recreationally.ĭrones can help police departments reconstruct traffic accidents and they can be used as lookouts for SWAT teams. ![]() In San Jacinto this week, a drone carrying a camera was used at a film shoot where an abandoned building was blown up. Real estate agents use them to film videos of properties and surrounding neighborhoods, offering clients a better-than-bird’s-eye view. The county recently performed the same survey using a drone for about $200. In Mesa County, Colo., for example, an annual landfill survey using manned aircraft cost about $10,000. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said at a recent hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.ĭrones come in various designs, from radio-controlled planes to small, copter-type devices that can be controlled from a cell phone. “The thought of government drones buzzing overhead and constantly monitoring the activities of law-abiding citizens runs contrary to the notion of what it means to live in a free society,” Sen. Many of the bills would prevent police from using drones for broad public surveillance or to watch individuals without sufficient grounds to believe they were involved in crimes. Since January, drone-related legislation has been introduced in more than 30 states, largely in response to privacy concerns. Their use has also raised concerns among those who fear the technology may be misused. ![]() Following that decision, states across the country, including California, have introduced legislation to govern the use of drones. There’s some real potential to replace helicopters, and in this county we’re extremely limited (in aerial resources).”įollowing presidential approval in 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration now allows police and first responders to fly 4-pound drones up to 400 feet in the air for public safety purposes. “It’s the responsible thing for law enforcement to look at future technology. “Police aviation is already pretty well accepted,” said Baray, who punctuated his point with a personal story of how a surveillance tool tipped him to the location of an unseen, armed suspect. Murrieta police are considering using small, unmanned - and unarmed - drones to assist officers where a police helicopter would otherwise be used.Ĭhief Mike Baray said the drones - also known as unmanned aerial vehicles - could enhance officer safety during pursuits or in finding missing people at a fraction of the cost of helicopter patrols.
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