Eye in the sky: Local police now using drones to spy on citizens
Source: khou.com
The Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office is doing something that no other agency in Harris County is believed to have done yet: Use drones to help fight crime.
It's an eye in the sky for law enforcement, without giving up the element of surprise.
"It could absolutely save lives," says Constable Alan Rosen.
Rosen says the agency's two new $1,200 drones, which have been in use for three weeks, are game changers in getting intel before serving search warrants, on SWAT situations and even looking for escaped inmates.
"You're not gonna detect that the drone is there because it's so quiet," Rosen said.
He also believes the video evidence will help clear more cases and says the drones have already been used on an environmental investigation.
But with drones come privacy concerns.
Spokesman Tom Hargis with the American Civil Liberties Union's Houston office said in a statement:
"Drones should be prohibited for indiscriminate mass surveillance, with their use by police only permitted where there are grounds to believe they will collect evidence relating to a specific instance of criminal wrongdoing, or in emergencies. We need a system of rules to ensure that we can enjoy the benefits of this technology without bringing us closer to a 'surveillance society,' in which everyone's move is monitored, tracked, recorded, and scrutinized by authorities."
Rosen said his office is talking with the Harris County district attorney and county attorney to make sure everything they do is legal.
"It's just like a helicopter," said Rosen. "We operate pretty much under the same guise."
He also says they are legally allowed to fly.
"This particular drone can't go over 400 feet in the air, otherwise you would need an FAA license," he said.
Still, it's not without risk.
In April 2014, a $250,000 drone operated by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office crashed into Lake Conroe. Rosen says if their drones lose power from the controller, they're programmed to automatically come back to their starting point. They're also programmed to stay away from airports.
He says the video from those drones is stored in the same way as in these patrol cars—it's only kept for 90 days, unless it's been tagged for an investigation.
Source: khou.com
