Merseyside Police Surveillance Drone Faces Backlash
Merseyside Police have recently come under fire for their use of an ‘eye in the sky’ surveillance drone to find a suspected stolen car. The use of the drone is not the issue- it is the fact that the police used
the drone without prior permission that is the problem.
On the 26th January, police used the drone to track down a stolen Renault Clio- which they suspected had been stolen and was being driven by a 16 year and a 20 year old. Although the use of the drone did lead to an arrest, this was seriously overshadowed when it emerged that the police officers in question could face prosecution for breach of airspace.
However, defending the use of the surveillance equipment, Nick Gunatilleke of Merseyside Police, said:
“The force is continually looking to use new technology to help in its fight against crime and these arrests demonstrate the value of having something like the UAV as a resource.”
In the meantime, use of the drones has been suspended, and the Aviation Regulation Enforcement Department are currently investigating the case, with further details expected in the very near future.