San Diego Sheriff’s Department Is Now Using Drones in Investigation
San Diego Sheriff Department started using drones in their investigation. They went to investigate a case, and on the spot, they used a drone to do an aerial surveillance of the whole area.
Different uses of drones are already known to us but federal agents using drones? Well, that’s something we didn’t see before. But in coming days we’ll be seeing that a lot.
So the main incident took place because of a Pala woman who started fatal shooting. When there’s a shooting going on it’s necessary to know about the whole hostile situation. And what better way can it be done than with an aerial picture of the entire area.
The reason behind using a drone is quite apparent. Often the crime place can be so dangerous to roam without knowing the whole scenario. Drones give the entire aerial scenario to get a better view of the hostile and captive situations.
Sheriff’s department now has four drones that they are using to find missing people. They are taking these drones in their operations, crime scenes. Time is saved, and exact scenario of the place is coming in front of them.
The department is spending time and money on training people on how to use drones on the site. After only getting proper training they’re issued with drone use on the site.
Drones can be purchased if lost. But the life of a civilian can’t be measured with money. Regarding this topic Sheriff’s Lt. Jason Vickery said. “We can save a missing person, or we can keep a deputy out of harm’s way. That’s invaluable.”
San Diego police department showed professionalism already by using drones in various operation. In total, more than ten times they have flown those little machines to stay one step ahead of these criminals.
It’s pretty obvious that what San Diego police department is doing is amazing. After all, they are doing all these things so that civilians can feel secure and walk in the street safely. But even they are facing public criticisms.
People are concerned that the police department is violating the privacy of individuals by openly using drones. Civil liberties advocates also showed concern in this matter saying this can end up in surveillance where it’s not wanted. With the unwanted scrutiny, it can breach the laws of public privacy.
When discussing this matter, the department clearly said that it’s nothing to be worried. Only footages that can be used as evidence will be stored. All other footages which are not necessary to the case won’t be stored. Public privacy won’t be hampered in any way.
The initial budget for the pilot program was $125,000. Drones purchase, testing in the field, training people with the drones all are included in this program. San Diego police department has a large area that they are currently using for training purpose. The police department has quite a big allotment for the whole year and drones don’t take a whole lot of it.
With drones, the whole picture of the crime area can come to light. Even slight details that can come handy is now possible with the drones. Everyone’s position, timing, who is doing what can be captured and used for better investigation.
We spoke with the staff about the training progress. Till now four deputies have been trained with drones. Another four are going to be fully prepared in the meantime. Soon these associates will help others from time to time.
There are some limitations though. The drones can’t fly more than 400 feet. And the turnaround time of the drones is 45 minute. This is an excellent technology; the department has expressed their desire that some custom made camouflage drones should be made, which will have more flight time and high reach capacity. It’s not entirely impossible if any popular drone companies work with the police department. After all, it’s worth the effort.
Initially, there was a controversy about which data will be stored and which will not be stored. But the department made it clear to the public.
There’s been a rage filed against the police department that they should’ve held a press conference before actually diving into the drone surveillance publicly.
Using drones in this field can be huge. Not only police can track down the missing people, but they can also find out criminals hideout. Places that needed personal visits before now can be tracked down with drones. It’s tough and sometimes impossible to know the crime scene from standing outside. But with drones knowing the exact position of each and every person’s position is possible. It reduces the chances of life risks of duty officers a lot.
Kennedy Martinez
kennedy@dronethusiast.comKennedy Martinez is a resident writer who joined Dronethusiast at the beginning of 2019. She has years of experience reviewing drones and other tech products. When it comes to flying drones, Kennedy loves the ability to create artistic videos from a unique point of view. Kennedy enjoys researching new drones and other exciting products that are available to consumers which is why she is committed to creating the best buyer's guides for our readers.
