Drones have become a part of life in many places. You see them used for everything from taking a group shot at a wedding, to creating a real estate listing to destroying an enemy target.
So it is no surprise that police forces across the country are also using drones. New Mexico State Police currently have a job posting to join their Drone Team (officially known as their Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) team.
Are the police using drones to spy on you?
The job posting says the person would use drones to:
- Conduct aerial surveillance to provide real-time intelligence critical for search and rescue missions and disaster response efforts
- Assist with crime scene reconstruction by enabling officers to view the scene traffic and assist other agencies with requests.
There is no mention of officers using drones for more than that. There is no mention of them using them to carry out surveillance of people they suspect of a crime, for example. But is this really all the police are using them for?
A news report from earlier this year confirms that the police are using them in a wider scope. It tells how drones “enabled officers to locate and apprehend” a group of suspects.
Many have concerns about how far the police are going in their use of drones, and how little oversight there currently is. While the police have a duty to protect our safety, they also have a duty to respect our civil rights. When drone use is acceptable vs. unacceptable is not always clear so you may want help to learn more if you feel the police have breached your civil rights with their drones.