In the wake of the Marathon bombing Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis say surveillance drones might be a useful tool to help thwart a similar act of terror at next year’s race. We’re guessing that, even here in ever-so-liberal Massachusetts, folks at the moment are as concerned about the threat of terrorism as they are any perceived threat to their privacy.
Now, Americans do have a right to assume that their personal comings and goings aren’t under constant surveillance by the government (although as the images of the bombers reveal, they are clearly under constant surveillance by cameras mounted on commercial properties).
But Davis isn’t talking about flying drones over every city park just in case folks aren’t properly disposing their trash.
“I don’t know that would be the first place I’d invest money, but certainly to cover an event like this, and have an eye in the sky that would be much cheaper to run than a helicopter is a really good idea,” he said.
We need to “harden our target,” Davis said, and “make sure terrorists understand that if they’re thinking about coming here, we have certain things in place that would make that not a good idea.”
That means more cameras. It may also mean a dedicated BPD anti-terrorism unit, like the one New York has. The need is clear, particularly given yesterday’s news that after blowing up the Marathon finish line the bombers decided on the spur of the moment to head to New York to detonate their remaining explosives. Like Boston, New York officials are eyeing the use of drones, too.
Now, there are those who hear the word “drone” and go running for the nearest protest. According to the ACLU, 30 states have introduced legislation that would restrict or regulate the use of domestic drones, if not ban their use outright. That (of course) includes Massachusetts.
But surveillance drones can be a useful tool for law enforcement, and like it or not they’re coming to a city near you. It is important that their use be restrained, with proper oversight to prevent abuse. But in an emergency situation, there may be no more useful tool.
