California police have arrested a person suspected of stealing vehicles close to the Santa Monica Pier over the Fourth of July weekend. And whereas it wouldn’t usually be a very notable occasion, the story behind it looks like the form of factor we’d see extra usually. Why? The arrest solely occurred due to a drone surveillance program the Santa Monica Police Division first launched in late 2021.
“On July sixth, our drone was returning to station after a radio name when the pilot determined to analyze the gang state of affairs close to the pier and seaside areas. As he was flying over 1 North (the big space north of the pier), the pilot observed a male wandering across the space appearing suspiciously,” Santa Monica police mentioned in a information launch. Press launch.
A police assertion defined that the drone captured footage of the suspect utilizing a screwdriver and different instruments to pry open the car’s lock after which climb inside for about two minutes.
“Whereas within the car, the pilot referred to as for officers to answer the incident,” the assertion mentioned. “Whereas they had been en route, the suspect used the identical techniques to interrupt into one other car, this time a truck. By this time, the pilot had directed responding officers to the proper lane within the car parking zone. Officers discovered the suspect in possession of a number of stolen objects and arrested him for housebreaking of a motorized vehicle and numerous different thefts.”
Santa Monica Police Launch Video YouTube And Fbwhich reveals the way it all occurred.
The Santa Monica Police Division’s drone program, formally referred to as the Drone as a First Responder initiative, has been utilized in quite a lot of methods over the previous two years. catching a home burglar and discover an individual who attacked a 73-year-old girl. Nevertheless, this system has clearly brought about controversy, given the Orwellian themes related to surveillance drones hovering within the sky.
“The widespread use of drones by police could be a profound change, with penalties each predictable and unpredictable,” the ACLU mentioned in a press release final 12 months. “However there’s good cause to consider that such a world may arrive before most individuals understand.”
“It can be crucial that we don’t slide right into a world of ubiquitous aerial surveillance, that communities assume very fastidiously about whether or not they need drone surveillance and, in the event that they resolve to permit some operations, that they put in place obstacles that stop these operations from increasing,” the group mentioned.
How shut are we to the police really simply utilizing a drone to detain a suspect? It is not clear. However you may wager it isn’t that far off, given the truth that Axon, the maker of stun weapons, not too long ago acquired Dedron. Consultant Troy Nehls, a Republican from Texas, not too long ago informed a congressional listening to that he helps the introduction stun weapons on drones.
The longer term is already right here.