California Sheriff Says Their Drone Disarmed a Suspect, Shares Video on Instagram (sfgate.com) 31
The Los Angeles Police Department says about 1,500 police agencies across America have drone programs, reports SFGate, and 58 of those drone-using police agencies are in California.
The Sacramento County sheriff's office recently posted drone footage on Instagram set to theme from "Mission: Impossible," claiming "a nationwide first" where their drone successfully disarmed a felon "seen earlier with a firearm" (though now not moving, but holding a knife while lying face down in a garage). In the video the "not responding" suspect continues not moving as the drone dangles a magnet which catches on the knife. The drone then pulls multiple times until it comes out of the unmoving suspect's hand. The sheriff's office says their footage shows their drone "disarm an armed suspect, helping bring the incident to a safe resolution," in their post on Instagram, "rather than rush into a potentially deadly encounter..." Was he pretending to be dead or simply lying in wait for deputies to approach...?
It's also worth noting that our drones are labeled as "military equipment" (even though anyone can purchase them at their local Walmart), but are really just another piece of technology helping deputies resolve dangerous situations safely. Their use protects both law enforcement personnel and suspects.
SFGate offers more reports from around California: In Yucaipa, officials launched a Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program on May 28, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced this month. According to the release, drones have already been used to respond to over 100 calls for service, arriving before deputies for 71% of them. "The drones also contributed to 12 arrests, assisted in locating persons of interest on 37 occasions, and provided aerial overwatch during 44 incidents," it continues, though details on how they assisted the police are unclear. The drones, manufactured by Skydio, were also used to locate a young person experiencing a mental health crisis and another person launching illegal fireworks.
The Sacramento County sheriff's office recently posted drone footage on Instagram set to theme from "Mission: Impossible," claiming "a nationwide first" where their drone successfully disarmed a felon "seen earlier with a firearm" (though now not moving, but holding a knife while lying face down in a garage). In the video the "not responding" suspect continues not moving as the drone dangles a magnet which catches on the knife. The drone then pulls multiple times until it comes out of the unmoving suspect's hand. The sheriff's office says their footage shows their drone "disarm an armed suspect, helping bring the incident to a safe resolution," in their post on Instagram, "rather than rush into a potentially deadly encounter..." Was he pretending to be dead or simply lying in wait for deputies to approach...?
It's also worth noting that our drones are labeled as "military equipment" (even though anyone can purchase them at their local Walmart), but are really just another piece of technology helping deputies resolve dangerous situations safely. Their use protects both law enforcement personnel and suspects.
SFGate offers more reports from around California: In Yucaipa, officials launched a Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program on May 28, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced this month. According to the release, drones have already been used to respond to over 100 calls for service, arriving before deputies for 71% of them. "The drones also contributed to 12 arrests, assisted in locating persons of interest on 37 occasions, and provided aerial overwatch during 44 incidents," it continues, though details on how they assisted the police are unclear. The drones, manufactured by Skydio, were also used to locate a young person experiencing a mental health crisis and another person launching illegal fireworks.
"Disarm" is doing some heavy lifting here... (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Or RTFS.
Anyway, LEO drones with tasers are probably less than 2 years away. Ain'tnoway the Trump administration or the Republicans will prevent that from happening. If anything, they'll cheer it on and propose guns mounted on the drones instead.
Re: (Score:2)
Part of Peter Thiel's plan. Replacing the government with a dictator won't matter if he doesn't have something to do, or murderous robots to do it with.
It's not stealing if the owner is decreased, right?
Re: (Score:2)
Let me guess. You don't like guns, either?
Re: (Score:1)
Re:"Disarm" is doing some heavy lifting here... (Score:4, Informative)
Yeah, I would definitely not call that "disarm". It's more like "pick up a metallic object that happened to be resting near the hand of an unconscious person."
Re: "Disarm" is doing some heavy lifting here... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, a fishing pole with a magnet would be a better option at that point. The LEOs can stand behind tall shields or around the corner.
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The drone then pulls multiple times until it comes out of the unmoving suspect's hand.
I wonder how long they'd have tried had it been a ceramic knife. :-)
More seriously, TFS says the suspect had been "seen earlier with a firearm" but found sleeping with a knife, so how did this "bring the incident to a safe resolution," so they didn't have to "rush into a potentially deadly encounter"? He could still have had a firearm. All in all, just seems like an opportunity to justify the expenditure on the robot.
Video in case you don't use Instagram (Score:4, Interesting)
https://youtu.be/TYsulVXpgYg?t... [youtu.be]
Military Equipment (Score:2)
even though anyone can purchase them at their local Walmart
For now.
Just watch our state get their panties in a bunch over civilian ownership/operation of drones. Because they can't tell the difference between a Mavic Mini and an MQ-9 Reaper.
So cops are complete cowards now? (Score:2, Insightful)
I mean, a man, unmoving on the ground, not responding. Dead or unconscious. And they are still too cowardly to approach? How utterly pathetic and repulsive.
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Militarized cops with armor and heavy weapons, plus a trained dog. But without that drone all would be dead.
Re: So cops are complete cowards now? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: So cops are complete cowards now? (Score:1)
This!
Get some sense into you cops. That is a human just like you. Unless he's a suspected suicide bomber approach him with caution and sympathy
Next suspect will adapt (Score:1)
Perp just needs to moisten the gun, wet magnets don't work. [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:1)
He said it at least twice, not a fluke. [youtube.com]
because... (Score:2, Insightful)
Right, because the 6 militarized guys with heavy weapons, and a dog, could not arrest an unconscious person safely. The entire crazy situation of this unconscious person hinged on the janky drone that a conscious person could have simply swatted out of the air.
Oh shit, he's got a Steak Knife, call in the drones!
LOL (Score:4, Funny)
Many cops outside with guns. Junkie inside passed out with a knife in hand. Cops too scared to approach passed out junkie. Send in drone to get knife. Cops now brave enough to approach junkie. Reminds me of the cops of the future in the movie Demolition Man.
Re: (Score:2)
This disarming drone
Pampers cops' complexity,
Finds doughnut loophole.
Drone AI... (Score:1)
Sorry, Mr. 'Arrison. Come at me with that banana. Hold it like that, that's it. Now attack me with it. Come on! Come on! Come at me! Come at me then!
Reality Check: They used a drone to disarm.... (Score:2)
Better than disarm (Score:1)
But who in USA could dare to disagree with Trump and his wish to "Make USA barbarian again"?