The Metropolitan Police in London has been trying to cope with the challenges of increasing thefts in the areas of the city. More specifically, thieves have targeted over 3,000 phones within the past 12 months, and this is something to tackle with. The major areas of London where crimes occur seem to be Islington and Camden. However, the current methods of the Met police do not work as planned. This means that thefts continue on their upward trajectory, and the people do not feel safe anymore.
Under this spectrum, the police are trying to come up with new methods that will work and result in the desired decrease of crime in London. One of the most important factors that have made them realize the necessity to alter their ways has been the increasing rate of high-speed chases. In one of these chases, Henry Hicks died back in 2014. He was an 18-year-old who tried to escape the pursuit of the police, although (as it turned out in the end) he had not committed any crime. This is not the only case, of course.
As you can imagine, such chases can be dangerous for the police and the civilians alike. The high speed does not leave much room for vehicle control. So, casualties are not a rare phenomenon. In several situations, people have died or have injured themselves gravely.
In avoidance of these casualties, the police have suggested the use of drones. The drones can surveil and offer their services at all times, at an affordable cost. Without having to pay much, the Met police will be able to control the circulation of cars and especially motorbikes, which can increase speed and try to escape.
“The possibilities of unmanned aerial vehicles to tackle suspects using two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles to commit crime are currently being discussed at a national level by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s steering group and the Centre for Applied Science and Technology,” according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police.
In Devon and Cornwall, drones are already into effect, and they offer great assistance to the local authorities. According to Inspector Andy Hamilton from Devon: “Using a drone to capture footage on difficult terrain and hard to reach areas such as cliffs, woodland or the moors to find a missing person, combat wildlife crime or even a firearm incident, will allow officers to gain vital information, quickly, safely, and allow us to respond effectively at the scene.”
Since the cost of helicopters is pretty high and there is a need for qualified pilots to arm them, the alternative of drones seems great. Some problems might appear in the air and particularly from the Civil Aviation Authority and its rules.
However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in this case. So, it is needless to assume that these problems will not last long. The police will find a way to let the drones take over the surveillance and lead the way towards decreasing crime rates.
From an expert’s point of view, Julian Bray (an aviation expert) noted the following: “It would be much cheaper, and the drone could sit over an area and direct ground units to the fleeing car or motorbike … There are issues with Civil Aviation Authority rules, but I am sure they will make it work because it could save money and it may save lives because you would not have police cars tearing after suspects in high-speed chases.”
Drones have already become part of our lives. Instead of focusing on the malicious use of these devices, we should use them for beneficial purposes and be fighting crime is certainly a great cause!
Top/Featured Image: From Pixabay
