Rochester Law Enforcement to Consider Using Drones

It may not be in the immediate future, but the Rochester Police Department is exploring the possibility of acquiring a so-called 'drone.'

Rochester Police Chief Roger Peterson recently discussed the issue during one of his regular appearances on KROC-AM with Rich Peterson and Kim David. Chief Peterson says he was recently approached by one of his officers about possibly purchasing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV for use in certain situations.

Specifically, Peterson says a UAV equipped with an infrared camera would of been very useful during the recent search for a man wanted on warrants, who ended up spending almost 5 hours outside in sub-zero cold trying to elude police and ended up in the hospital with frostbite and hypothermia. He also says the technology could also be a lifesaver when police are asked to locate a person with dementia or other impairments who has wandered away from their home.

The Police Chief says he plans to bring the topic to the next meeting of the Rochester Police Policy Oversight Committee to begin discussions about the potential for using unmanned aircraft and potential restrictions on the use of the technology.

Click on the YouTube video at the top of this post to hear more of Chief Peterson's comments on the subject.