The drone program introduced last week by the Metro Nashville Police Department is facing backlash stemming from a lack of oversight.
The “Drone as First Responder” program is a pilot that police have been testing within a two-mile radius around the Madison precinct. The drones are responding to emergency police and fire calls, missing-person cases and significant traffic crashes. Already, MNPD has reported that the program has led to one arrest in a domestic violence case. After the suspect left the scene, the drone operator identified the suspect (through the drone) and alerted ground officers to his location.
The drones operate by using cameras to record the scene. MNPD told WPLN News that they “work similarly to safety cameras” — recording begins as they approach the scene, providing a visual for responding officers…