Colorado police plan to use drones as first responders, calling the technology 'future of law enforcement'
Will Police Drones Invade Your Privacy?
Several Colorado law enforcement agencies, including the Denver Police Department (DPD), are planning to use drones as first responders to 911 calls. This initiative, seen as the future of law enforcement, aims to enhance efficiency by using drones for tasks like surveillance and assessing situations before deploying officers. While some see this as a way to prioritize more urgent police calls and conserve resources, concerns are being raised by the ACLU about the potential impact on personal freedoms and public protests. The DPD, which is reviving its drone program with new funding, intends to create a public dashboard to track drone activities and address privacy concerns.
What are the ACLU's concerns regarding the expansion of drone usage by law enforcement in Colorado?
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado has expressed significant concerns regarding the increasing use of drones by law enforcement agencies3. Laura Moraff, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Colorado, highlighted worries about the potential impacts on civil liberties, particularly how drone surveillance could alter public behaviors around First Amendment activities such as speech, organizing, and protesting2. The ACLU fears that the normalization of drones in law enforcement could lead to pervasive surveillance, which might change how people engage in these fundamental activities, potentially stifling free expression and public assembly2.
How does Sgt. Jeremiah Gates envision drones altering the response to non-urgent 911 calls?
Sgt. Jeremiah Gates sees drones as a transformative tool for responding to non-urgent 911 calls, which could significantly conserve law enforcement resources. He envisions using drones to assess situations such as reports of suspicious vehicles before deciding whether to dispatch officers6. For instance, a drone could be flown over a reported suspicious vehicle to verify if it's truly out of place. If the drone determines that the vehicle is not suspicious, officers would not need to be sent to the location, thereby saving time and resources. This approach allows law enforcement to prioritize more urgent calls and reduces unnecessary officer deployments.