The drone revolution is just getting started. According to the research firm Gartner, drone sales are expected to balloon to $11.2 billion by 2020, and an estimated 3 million drones were manufactured in 2017. And, drones in police work will also change the way police officers do their jobs. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office is already using the drone technology, something Sheriff Brian Bellendir says has been very useful.

Brian Bellendir Audio

Bellendir says a recent drug case in Olmitz showed the value of having not only boots on the ground but eyes in the sky.

Brian Bellendir Audio

Bellendir says case law on the use of drones in law enforcement is still new and developing. To that end, the Sheriff’s Office will be sending two officers to a training class in Salina in the near future that will cover the latest laws concerning when and how drones can legally be used by law enforcement.

In 2012, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) published a list of recommended guidelines for use of UAVs in law enforcement. Endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), its recommendations include the following:

** Police should obtain warrants to use drones where subjects have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
** Police should not retain images captured by drones unless they are relevant to a crime.
** Police should give the public meaningful notice of drone use.
** Use of drones by police should be subject to tracking and audits, with accountability for misuse.
** Police should not use weaponized drones.