BLUEFIELD, Va. – Police in Bluefield, Virginia showed off some high-tech equipment on Monday, Feb. 3.
“You can put this thing in the air and you kind of do the same thing [as] search and rescue and things like that,” said Officer Sam Bowman of the Bluefield Va. Police Department.
Fitted with thermal imaging, these drones help local law enforcement up its capabilities without breaking the bank.
“Departments like us can’t afford a helicopter. You can’t have aviation stuff like that. So… this is a way to get that service without having to call the state police or some other jurisdiction that has a helicopter waiting,” Officer Bowman explained.
Officer Bowman also added that along with search and rescue, the drones can be used for everything from evidence collection to accident reconstruction and more.
But with great power comes great responsibility.
“It’s actually mandated by the FAA that you take what’s called a Part 107 which is the drone test that has to be acquired by us to be a pilot to fly the drone so that we’re within that requirement,” Officer Bowman continued. “The state doesn’t actually have a mandate with it, but we do have training at a local academy for drones and stuff like that and also local community college has a class too for drone operators.”
With more crimes to solve and a community to look after, Officer Bowman believes residents in town will continue to see the benefit of this new technology.
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