Met expands drone use to track suspects and respond to 999 calls
The Metropolitan Police are expanding their use of remotely piloted drones to respond to 999 calls, track suspects and help officers on the ground make arrests. The article presents the technology as a way to catch criminals more quickly and find missing people, while raising concerns that surveillance from above could weaken people’s privacy and anonymity.
In one example, a drone tracked two men suspected of stealing wine in central London and relayed their movements to patrol officers, who arrested them. The Met says drones have helped reduce mobile phone thefts in London by 21 per cent in a year, and Commissioner Mark Rowley argues police need to keep pace with criminals’ use of technology. Existing data protection and aviation rules apply, but the article says the Government has yet to establish legal boundaries specifically for police drones.
- Met drones are being used to track suspects and guide officers.
- The force links their use to a 21 per cent fall in phone theft.
- Their growing role raises questions about privacy and oversight.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “You’re nicked… by the real flying squad: Steve Boggan joins Met ‘pilots’ controlling a fleet of drones as they swoop at lightning speed to catch criminals in the act. An Orwellian nightmare, or the weapon we’ve all been waiting for?”.