Photo Credit: Flock Safety
Arizona has always had a bit of a social libertarian streak; one focused on self-reliance, of personal freedoms, and a disdain for “big government”. Sometimes that desire for personal freedom and a lack of government intrusion can clash with another aspect of much of the state, and specifically Scottsdale: a respect for the work of law enforcement.
So what happens when these two issues clash directly? We’re finding out now as the Scottsdale Police Department is about to start implementing drone-fueled cameras in its law enforcement work.
Said drone will be stationed on a roof in south Scottsdale and will be operated remotely by a pilot and in response to 911 calls. Scottsdale Assistant Chief of Police Rich Slavin talked about their usage, stating that they would be used for “anything from a high-risk tactical call where maybe we have an armed and barricaded subject…or a burglary in progress call”.
Perhaps most notably, he also said that they would only record when arriving at a scene, which if taken as gospel truth should relieve the concerns of many personal freedom advocates.
That said, there are still plenty of questions. For instance, is the fact that the drones would only start recording at the scene of a crime or emergency going to be official policy? What controls will be in place to enforce that, or are we simply supposed to trust those words and not ask additional questions? Will all calls be subject to this, and if not what criteria will be in place to justify drone usage?
And questions for the city are only one echelon of potential questions. For instance, if Scottsdale betrays these words and ends up shooting much more footage, will that footage be enforceable in court? If it sees something that then compels further action, such as a warrant, is that then enforceable? What is the legal precedent for such a nascent technology?
We all want to be safe, and where cost-effective tools can be used to help make that in reality. And for anything new, trailblazers need to pave the way. That said, it’s our sincere hope that Scottsdale Police take personal privacy seriously, don’t push boundaries too much, and work within legal boundaries to do their jobs effectively without causing frivolous or meaningful lawsuits and a further erosion of trust in an important institution.