Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP, today called for caution and a careful review of the introduction of military-style Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) by police forces around the country.

Last year Merseyside police launched a pilot programme of operating remotely controlled police drone aircraft, based on UAV technology currently being used to target insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq, as a means to curb anti-social behaviour. This scheme may be adopted in other areas of the country but there has been little discussion as to the range of uses for this technology and its legitimate limits, which were originally developed as a means to spy on illegal combatants.

Andrew Turner said:
“Despite the money-saving aspect of operating remote police drones instead of manned helicopters, extending the network of CCTV cameras to include the putting them in the sky could well become an invasion of privacy and a big step towards a ‘Big Brother’ culture. This technology will require strict controls to ensure that it can only be used for specific tasks, such as monitoring illegal immigration at sea or photographing crime scenes from the air, rather than a means to monitor the population generally. Whilst CCTV currently only covers public areas and private premises, its potential expansion to cover anywhere at any time is an alarming thought and is no substitute for more police officers on the beat.”

END Contact : Andrew Turner’s office 01983 530808