NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – City officials with New Smyrna Beach will ask the public for their thoughts if the police department should use drones.
The public discussion will be held at a city meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27.
The police department has proposed deploying drones in support of public safety, according to city officials.
Police said drones would help them in searching for a missing person, documenting crime scenes and performing rescue operations after a natural disaster.
The meeting will be held in the City Hall Commission Chambers.
“Any surveillance or search with a drone is prohibited under Florida Statute 934.50 without a warrant signed by a judge. Our proposed policy specifically states ‘No random surveillance will be conducted with unmanned aircraft, pursuant to Florida Statutes.’"
Daytona Beach Police already use drones.
A drone helped officers catch a burglary suspect who was jumping from rooftop to rooftop on Aug. 1.
DBP told News 6 in 2018 the department used $76,000 seized from drug dealers to buy five drones.