As drone technology gets better, could it change what it means to be a first responder? While law enforcement agencies explore that question, there are concerns that this is a slippery slope when it comes to privacy.
Drones as first responders could become a new tool for the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. Reaction is mixed.
“I’d feel uncomfortable,” said one resident.
“I’m not a criminal, so I’m not really worried about it,” said another resident.
Macomb County Commander Jason Abro said the Skydio drones they’re testing do not have license plate readers or facial recognition software.
“We can’t stress it enough that there will be no surveillance of our citizens,” said Abro.
After a neighbor in Macomb Township called 911 about car break-ins, police showed us how a drone was used to catch the suspect in action.
“Instead of sending patrol cars in and tipping him off, he’s apprehended and taken into custody,” said Abro.
Two Skydio drones are currently being tested at the Macomb Township substation.
The Skydio drones are autonomous, have a 30-minute battery life, and a 3-mile radius.
While the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office is in a testing phase, Oakland County has been using drones as first responders for five years. But their program is facing new scrutiny.
Tempers flared at a board of commissioners meeting in Oakland County earlier this month over the possible use of FLOCK drones.
Critics say FLOCK cameras can share data with the feds, can read license plates and are capable of mass surveillance.
“You keep hearing the word surveillance,” said Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. “They are not used for surveillance. They have a 20 or 30-minute battery life. That is not a surveillance platform. Look at our Transparency Dashboard. Every time the DFR goes up, it’s on the page. It shows you.”
Bouchard says they’re looking at options to replace six drones used as first responders after the U.S. government banned drones made in China.
“The drones we’ve been using for five years, we can no longer get, Bouchard said. ”You know FLOCK tends to be a lightning rod, but we’re just looking at options, and those are the two options: Skydio and FLOCK."
Law enforcement officials in Macomb and Oakland counties say drones as first responders will not be used to spy on people.
“We will have the strictest of policies. We understand the citizens’ concerns that ‘are they surveying us?’ I wouldn’t want that, no one would,” said Abro.
“This is almost like a violation of the Fourth Amendment. They’re coming in without a warrant and looking at you,” said one resident.
When it comes to privacy concerns, say police see something suspicious while they’re up in the air on a drone call. They still have to get a judge to sign off on a search warrant before they can investigate further.
After the month-long testing phase ends, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office says it will evaluate and decide what’s next for the program.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s office says it will decide within a year whether to use FLOCK drones.