Alameda County Sheriff Just Might Employ Unmanned Drones to Catch Criminals
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They earned their stripes in combat, and now unmanned aerial drones are being used across the country to help law enforcement officers cut costs and still curb crime. The small, lightweight devices are being billed as a cheap alternative to helicopters.
With a 4-foot wing span, the 4-pound drone, armed with a live camera, can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000, but can also give police officers a bird's eye view of the bad guys, as NBC notes.
The first arrest using drones happened in North Dakota, according to the LA Times, but so far, no California law enforcement agency has used them.
Not everyone is happy about the new development of this crime-fighting technology. Not surprisingly, the ACLU is especially upset about the drones, saying flying them over people's backyards could lead to an invasion of privacy.
After first trying a drone about a year ago, Ahern is looking into testing one during the upcoming "Urban Shield" exercise, which brings together 30 different law enforcement agencies, in a couple weeks.
What do you think, are drones creepy?
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