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Alabama Police Department requests drones to fight crime faster

Tuscaloosa police are requesting funding for drones to get a quicker look at crime scenes. The equipment will cost over a million dollars and will help officers get a look at the scene within minutes of a crime. “The drones can respond somewhat autonomously,” said Steve Zark, TPD crime and intelligence analyst. “We can actually launch them through a computer and, as long as we have a visual observer monitoring the airspace, we can take off and fly. That should bring our response time down to under four minutes.” >> THE LATEST: Headlines and Weather from WVTM 13The drones will get to the scene quicker and also give responding officers a chance to see what to expect.”We have the ability to go to a crime scene and help assess and create an environment where the arriving officers already have information about what's there,” Zark said. “So that increases officer safety and gives us an idea of ​​what they're heading to.”The TPD currently has four drones, but they have to be driven to the scene. The new drones would be stored in docking stations throughout the city so they can quickly get to crime scenes. Although the drones can capture footage, Zark stressed that the equipment poses no threat to citizens' privacy. “One of our policies is that when a drone flies from point A to point B, the camera is pointed at the horizon,” Zark said. “It's not like we're watching somebody on the ground just going about their normal day-to-day life. We want to go where we're going, to a specific crime scene.” >> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Tuscaloosa City Council must decide whether to fund the drones in the next fiscal year. The council has until the last week of September to make that decision.

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama —

Tuscaloosa police are requesting funding for drones to help them inspect crime scenes more quickly.

The equipment will cost over a million dollars and will help officers get a glimpse of the crime scene just minutes after a crime has occurred.

“The drones can respond somewhat autonomously,” said Steve Zark, a crime and intelligence analyst with the TPD. “We can actually launch them from a computer and, as long as we have a visual observer monitoring the airspace, we can take off and fly. That should reduce our response time to under four minutes.”

>> THE LATEST: Headlines and weather from WVTM 13

The drones arrive at the scene more quickly and also give police officers the opportunity to see what is coming their way.

“It gives us the opportunity to look around the scene, assess the situation and create an environment where arriving officers already have information about what's going on,” Zark said. “It increases officer safety and gives us an idea of ​​what they're heading toward.”

The TPD currently has four drones, but they must be driven to crime scenes. The new drones would be stored in docking stations throughout the city so they can get to crime scenes quickly.

Although the drones can take pictures, Zark stressed that the equipment does not pose a threat to citizens' privacy.

“One of our guidelines is that when a drone flies from point A to point B, the camera is pointed at the horizon,” Zark said. “It's not like we're watching anyone on the ground just going about their normal day. We want to go where we're going, to a specific scene.”

>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: on facebook. | Þjórsárdalur | Instagram | YouTube

The Tuscaloosa City Council must decide whether to fund the drones in the next fiscal year. The council has until the last week of September to make that decision.

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