Aerial drones are law-enforcement tools that need formal oversight

Making the editorial slot in the Seattle Times this weekend, lets hope city councils hold Police departments accountable for the platforms they choose. Its gold rush time, the X6 is an established known platform that has enjoyed success around the world. Some of the others being looked at can’t claim the same heritage.

The Seattle Police Department needs to work through the Seattle City Council to put the potential of aerial drones and their privacy issues into regulated perspective.

USE of aerial drones by the Seattle Police Department needs formal oversight to establish operating procedures and periodic performance reviews by the Seattle City Council.

Encourage Seattle police to learn about and put the technology to limited, defined uses, but do not leave the door open for what is called mission creep in other settings.

Do it by ordinance, not by policy nods, promises and good intentions.

The council already knows how that works. A contrite assistant Seattle police chief appeared before the council to apologize for not keeping the council better informed on the department’s plans for using drones.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2018143433_edit07drone.html