WEST JORDAN, Utah — People living in West Jordan may hear some new buzzing sounds overhead as the city's police department rolls out its new drone program.
“In law enforcement, most of the things we do, it’s unknown what people’s intentions are,” explained Lt. Tyrell Shepherd.
But new drones in the sky will help keep officers safe.
“We can use [the drone system] for accident reconstruction, collecting evidence on crime scenes, we can track missing kids,” Shepherd explained.
The program launched this Spring, joining several other Utah agencies that have already adopted the program.
“It’s huge. Utilizing drones within law enforcement is kind of a game changer for us,” added Shepherd.
The drones also help the West Jordan Fire Department when battling structure fires by finding hot spots.
“It helps keep them stay safe from not having to climb on a structure fire after the fact and letting them know where additional fires are with a thermal camera,” said Shepherd.
West Jordan resident Lawrence Magna works in the tech industry and worries whether his privacy and that of others is top of mind when it comes to the drones.
“Having video surveillance inside neighborhoods could pose a risk for hackers that could hack into recorded feeds," he said. "I know it may or may not be recorded, but it may be streamed or intercepted. I’m not really for the government acquiring more data.”
Police say the drones will only record when necessary to gather evidence in accordance with Utah law.
“One thing for the public to know is if a drone is right above you, we’re looking streets ahead," Shepherd claimed. "It’s something we utilize the drone with cameras to be as far away from the target area we’re searching.”
Jack Parker lives in West Jordan and used drones that identified dangerous weapons when he worked in explosive ordinance disposal for over five years.
“It’s kept my fellow service members alive," Parker shared. "Losing a robot is better than losing a human being.”
So, how can residents tell the difference between a police drone and a regular drone?
“It is hard," Shepherd admitted. "You don’t know if it is or isn’t, but that is a question that gets brought up quite a lot.
Shepherd said anyone who lives in West Jordan and sees a drone should also look for a police presence to know it is likely connected to the department.
“Usually, we’re gonna be driving around the neighborhood or you’ll see lights, officers patrolling around.”
