Policy

Top Cops Adopt Drone Guidelines

Hey! They even recommend getting warrants from time to time

|

The International Association of Chiefs of Police recently approved "Recommended Guidelines for the use of Unmanned Aircraft."

The IACP is to be applauded for addressing this issue, and for issuing recommendations that are quite strong in some areas. Based on what the chiefs support, it should now be seen as a broad consensus and starting point for further conversation that:

•    warrants are necessary for the use of drones where subjects have a reasonable expectation of privacy

•    images should not be retained unless relevant to a crime

•    the public should be given meaningful notice of drone use

•    police drone use should be subject to tracking and audits, with accountability for misuse

•    weapons should not be placed on domestic drones