As e-bike incidents escalate in Gilbert, law enforcement has turned to advanced surveillance, dispatching drones to manage the reckless behavior of e-bike users, chiefly amongst teenagers. Officer Travis Sheppard of the Gilbert Police detailed the strategy to FOX 10 Phoenix, noting that the drones afford a vantage point thereby, reducing the need for high-speed chases that could endanger the public. “We’re able to pinpoint where these riders are. It allows us to guide our officers to where these groups or these individual riders are and then allows us to do that safely without chasing them,” Sheppard said.
While the drones enhance officer safety and efficiency, they also play a vital role in de-escalating potent situations. Lieutenant Geoff Soderman relayed to FOX 10 Phoenix a scenario where the drones’ thermal imaging capability helped peacefully resolve a standoff with an armed suspect. According to Soderman, this intelligence helps in “handling that situation, hopefully to eliminate any type of use of force and de-escalate the situation.”
Feedback from the community appears mixed. William Cody Bell expressed to AZFamily his observations of e-motorcycle riders weaving through traffic, and described the drone strategy as a sound measure for accountability. Neil Leatherman, on the other hand, advocates for a precedence on education over reprimand and is quoted saying “Interesting, drones. I mean how else could you keep up with them, right? You’re not going to be able to track them down any other way.” However, he also added, “To place infractions on them, I think that’s overstepping.”…