Should drones be allowed for law enforcement use in the US?

[jamesrage]

Should drones be allowed for law enforcement use in the US?

Yes, just as long as it is used only for spying/surveillance.
Yes just as long as it is used only for taking out threats to law enforcement.
Yes for any reason like spying/surveillance and taking out threats to law enforcement
No not in any circumstance
maybe/other



Federal Aviation Administration FAA Pressed To Allow Drone Flights In United States - cbs11tv.com
Unmanned aircraft have proved their usefulness and reliability in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. Now the pressure's on to allow them in the skies over the United States.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to issue flying rights for a range of pilotless planes to carry out civilian and law-enforcement functions but has been hesitant to act. Officials are worried that they might plow into airliners, cargo planes and corporate jets that zoom around at high altitudes, or helicopters and hot air balloons that fly as low as a few hundred feet off the ground.

On top of that, these pilotless aircraft come in a variety of sizes. Some are as big as a small airliner, others the size of a backpack. The tiniest are small enough to fly through a house window.

The obvious risks have not deterred the civilian demand for pilotless planes. Tornado researchers want to send them into storms to gather data. Energy companies want to use them to monitor pipelines. State police hope to send them up to capture images of speeding cars' license plates. Local police envision using them to track fleeing suspects.






Just think years ago the idea of this would have probably sounded like the rantings of someone wearing a tin foil hat. I want to say no. I do not want to open the door for the government to have flying cameras spying on citizens and taking them out. These things should only be used in war zones and taking care of threats of foreign soil. They already got those little track wheel robots that should be enough.

 

[Goshin]

Depends. You'd have to address safety considerations of course, and also privacy concerns. I oppose the panopticon surveillance-state, but some limited use might be ok.

 

[jamesrage]

Depends. You'd have to address safety considerations of course, and also privacy concerns. I oppose the panopticon surveillance-state, but some limited use might be ok.

I am worried that eventually the government would use that inch we give them to take a mile.

 

[Goshin]

I am worried that eventually the government would use that inch we give them to take a mile.

I always worry about that. Check my sig line. :mrgreen:

 

[The Mark]

The problem with this kind of thing is determining if the values of such outweigh the dangers.

Personally, I would tentatively be ok with it only if strict laws/rules as to their legal usage are were put place.

But, like others on this forum and elsewhere, I am very, very, VERY leery of placing more power in the government’s hands.

As I personally think they hold far to much already.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

I think this is a sensible measure that would save police manpower and even lives.

 

[The Mark]

I think this is a sensible measure that would save police manpower and even lives.

However, it could easily be misused.

But I agree, it could save police manpower and lives.

 

[Arch Enemy]

I say

**** the Police

 

[The Mark]

I say

**** the Police

Bit kinky, aren't you?

 

[alms]

Only under very limited and narrowly defined circumstances, such as a manhunt or missing child.

 

[Befuddled_Stoner]

Aerial drones are exactly the tool we should give the geniuses who came up with the awesome idea to drop the speed limits near cities to squeeze more money out of "speeders."

I really hope that they downsize police forces and hire private companies to go out and patrol cities with their drones. Hopefully it’ll be the same companies that install street cameras that automatically fine anyone who turns without a blinker or runs a yellow light. Wouldn’t that be great?

Just imagine how much money cities can make if they have ubiquitous surveillance drones and high speed facial recognition! Give the private companies a % of all the fines they issue, and we’ll be able to squeeze fines out of anyone who accidentally drops something on the ground or walks 1/2 an inch outside of a crosswalk!