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In a growing number of U.S. cities, the first responder on the scene of a 911 call is no longer a police car but rather a drone launched from a nearby precinct roof.
From departments in Chula Vista, California, to larger agencies like the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the NYPD, law enforcement is increasingly turning to rooftop-launched aircraft to cut response times, give dispatchers live overhead video in minutes, and provide early intel before cruisers even roll out.
Proponents say the technology cuts response times and relieves pressure on depleted police forces but privacy advocates warn that airborne cameras are expanding public surveillance faster than state laws and local regulations can adapt.
Brandon Henderson, a criminal defense attorney at HMW Law in Cleveland, Ohio, whose practice involves challenging police technology used as evidence, told The Independent that drones offer clear benefits and can “puts eyes on a scene faster without putting help there.”
But he added: “It cannot make an arrest, secure a scene, or put hands on a patient.”
In St. Louis, Missouri — a city that has battled severe police staffing shortages and high violent crime rates — a new drone program was adopted earlier this month by…
