Unmanned Aerial Vehicle The latest drone news
Following the nation’s deadliest mass taking pictures in Las Vegas this week, some specialists are questioning out loud: “Could drones make large events safer and even stop potential violence?”
Brian Levin, a felony justice professor and director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, says…in all probability.
“You could have a drone up in two minutes in Las Vegas and fired an incendiary device into [shooter Stephen Craig Paddock’s] room,” Levin mentioned in an interview with LA Weekly. “If he had weapons of mass destruction, you’re going to wish you had a drone.”
Major metro police companies, such because the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, agree with Levin — properly-equipped police drones may save lives. However, the highway to weaponized police drones continues to be on the horizon with companies continuing with warning.
“[A drone] is too important as a public-safety tool to ground. I will not face the loved ones of a victim whose life could have been saved by our ability to deploy UAS,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell mentioned in a media assertion. “I cannot imagine meeting with the spouse or a parent of a fallen deputy and say, yes, we could have done more.”
McDonnell’s remarks had been in response to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Civilian Oversight Commission’s advisory decision to cease police use of drones in L.A. County – a transfer the sheriff opposes. The 5-Four vote prevailed regardless of the examples of efficient drone use introduced in a 42-page report.
“As of July 27, 2017, the LASD has operationally used the UAS on six occasions, one of which was witnessed by the COC’s staff. Of the six uses, one involved a dangerous, armed gunman and the others were search and rescue missions for a missing woman and for a missing young boy,” the report states.
The vote serves solely as an advisory suggestion and McDonnell says he’ll transfer skyward with the division’s nascent drone program. However, he has no plans to weaponize his drones any time quickly.
“The public input we at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have received from our communities has been overwhelmingly supportive of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) program under the strict guidelines that we have established,” McDonnell said in a Facebook publish.
“I don’t think we can summarily dismiss the use of drones by major metropolitan police and sheriff agencies,” Levin instructed The LA Daily News. He agrees with McDonnell and neither have any need to make use of drones to invade privateness.
“I think we have to strike a balance based on the new normal we have with respect to the level of violence we are seeing, also with the access to assault weapons,” Levin mentioned.
