This view is from one of the navigation cameras. The The HD camera is not in use yet.
HARVEY COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities in Harvey County have implemented one of the first Unmanned Aerial Systems programs in the region, according to a social media report from Newton Police.
They promised transparency regarding the use of their UAV program.
Just before 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 25th, the program was put to use to document evidence at the scene of an injury accident on I-135 just south of the Hesston exit.
Officers were able to obtain a birds eye view of the scene, observing skid marks, and viewing the relative positions of where vehicle’s came to rest is valuable to the investigation.
The UAV is also able to record GPS coordinates of vehicles and other points accurately documenting their position. Our small UAV can be deployed and record this data in minutes, providing not only accurate information, but also speeding up the investigation to relieve traffic congestion.
This technology used by the Harvey County Emergency Response Team provides expanded and unique capabilities to a wide range of Emergency Services, better enabling them to provide assistance in a safe and efficient manner, according to a social media report.
Imagine the following:
• Being able to use a thermal imager to search an entire field for a missing child, or locating victims after a tornado in mere minutes • Finding an armed suspect and implementing a plan to safely apprehend him without risking lives • Viewing the totality of a large grass fire in real time, and directing resources more efficiently
• Documenting the scene of a fatality accident from an overhead
perspective.
This new program meets all of these objectives and more.
We would like the people we serve to know we are aware of privacy concerns and have drafted a strict policy governing the use of these aircraft. The aircraft will not be used for routine patrol activities.
Pursuant to our policy, we can only operate these aircraft for training purposes, or pursuant to a search warrant or exigent circumstance (emergency situations). When we operate the aircraft we will do our best to be transparent and notify the public via social media.
Any images recorded which are not of evidentiary value, or of legitimate training value will be deleted within 24 hours to protect your family’s privacy. We will be scheduling several information and demonstration events to answer any questions and receive feedback to better develop the program.
This week saw the culmination of this 7-month project, and there are 6 certified UAV pilots selected from the Newton Police Department and Harvey County Sheriff’s Office.