Police Scotland does not intend on using drones covertly according to Chief Constable Iain Livingstone.
Mr Livingstone argued that the use of drones can “at times be misunderstood” and he insisted that the force has no plan to use them covertly.
He described the role of the high-tech devices as “critical” in policing - as the drones will be invaluable in reaching inaccessible areas which will save lives.
At the most recent Scottish Police Authority meeting the Chief Constable explained: “For me, our drones are extremely useful, they are critical.
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“They have been used to assist in missing person searches and on occasion support public order incidents, or for example critical incidents, such as the Stonehaven rail derailment, where it was very difficult to get a sense of the locus.
“Drones can give officers on the ground very good situational awareness, allowing them to make sensible judgments and to allow them to discharge key operational tasks to keep people safe.
“They are not used covertly and we have no plans to do so.”
Mr Livingston argued that there is a robust case for using drones to enhance the force’s air support, distinctly in the north of the country and remote areas where the police helicopter is often unavailable.
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Police Scotland is working in unison with watchdogs at the Scottish Police Authority to develop a written understanding of the use of the technology.
The Chief Constable also spoke of plans to roll out the use of bodycams to armed police officers by November when Glasgow will host the UN climate change summit, which has been assigned £0.5 billion in the Scottish Government’s 2021-22 budget.
He explained that a public consultation, conducted by Police Scotland at the beginning of the month, on this “essential piece of kit” indicated “very high levels of support”.
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