Police in Washington DC to use drones, more cameras and license plate readers – NBC4 Washington

DC will soon have more eyes in the sky.

The Metropolitan Police Department will use drones in limited situations to protect the public from violent crime. Mayor Muriel Bowser is installing hundreds of surveillance cameras and license plate readers.

Falcon 1 takes off from its base near the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and is ready for action. MPD unveiled the $6 million helicopter at a press conference on Monday. The pilot called the helicopter “groundbreaking” because it has mapping technology and infrared cameras that can be helpful in chases.

The MPD’s air fleet now includes five drones. Police Chief Pamela Smith said the drones will not be used for patrol duties, but rather in situations such as barricades, crowd control, missing persons cases and serious accident reconstruction.

“We will not use artificial intelligence or facial recognition on the drones,” she said.

Bowser said DC’s newly approved budget includes funding for 200 new CC-TV cameras and nearly 50 more license plate readers to be added over the next year.

Last year, a helicopter from Washington DC helped with 76 arrests, including car thefts, shootings and murder, the mayor said.

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The executive director of the ACLU in Washington, DC, expressed some concerns about the drone plans.

“The increasing use of surveillance technology by law enforcement without limits, transparency and accountability is deeply concerning. Drones are a powerful and novel surveillance technology, and the expansion of District Police drones simply does not have sufficient safeguards in place to ensure our privacy and safety,” Monica Hopkins said in a statement.