A small unmanned aircraft system, or drone, being
operated by the Fayetteville Police Department. Courtesy of the city of
Fayetteville
On a cold Christmas Eve night, the man found himself stuck
up to his waist in the mud of a swampy area surrounded by deep and frigid
creeks in Cumberland County, when a small flying object passed over his head.
The object was a Fayetteville Police drone. It may have
saved his life.
The man “had outstanding warrants and ran from a traffic
stop … to elude officers,” Fayetteville Police Chief Gina V. Hawkins told
Carolina Public Press.
“The subject crossed at least two sections of creek that
were over his head. The temperature that night was 40 degrees and the suspect
became lodged in the mire. The incident quickly became a rescue mission with
the use of the drone to safely guide the officers to the suspect’s location.”
Fayetteville police publicly unveiled their year-old drone
program on April 10, touting its early successes, including the Dec. 2017
rescue as one of their small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) program’s
successes.
“Due to the frigid temperatures at the time and … that the
suspect was stuck in silt, it is highly probable the suspect would have
succumbed to hypothermia without the aid of the aviation unit,” a Fayetteville
Police Department statement said.
A growing number of law enforcement agencies in North
Carolina have initiated drone programs since 2016, when recent changes in both
costs and regulations made the unmanned systems practical for local agencies.
The promise of drones, like any tool, comes with concerns
about their potential abuse. Observers wonder about erosion of protections
against unlawful searches. Courts and lawmakers haven’t yet set precedents or
passed legislation to address all of the potential questions raised by the
rapidly developing technology.
Law enforcement agencies are keenly aware of these concerns.
But as CPP talked with agencies across the state, their answers to drone use
varied widely.
While Fayetteville emphasized the potential for drones in
rescue situations and said the department will not use them for “vehicle
pursuits, to assist in issuing traffic citations (or) for routine patrols,” the
December incident was also described as an effort to located a wanted suspect.
This article takes a look at the rapid adoption of drones by
the law enforcement and the legal and practical implications.
Read More; Carolina Public Press
