Dudley Council’s introduction of new drone technology has helped officers to identify roughly around 40 Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) breaches.
The £5,000 quadcopter, which features thermal imaging and travels at 45mph, has been used to identify offenders through its facial recognition software, with the footage collected being handed to the police.
Since its introduction in April, it has facilitated engagement with over 200 people – supporting arrests, stop searches, enforcement action, and action over breaches of council tenancy conditions. According to the council, it has been deployed on roughly 50 operational missions during this time.
It is also installed with advanced GPS mapping and can be used during both the daytime and the night, with West Midlands Police officers controlling the device from the ground.
Among the issues being targeted through the initiative are residents speeding on e-bikes, neglected properties, and helping the police with evidence gathering for drug busts.
Damien Corfield, the local authority’s community safety lead, said: ‘We’ll send the drone out in a problematic area at the times where people don’t expect. It’s not always in the day that we’re having issues with these electric bikes or groups congregating, taking drugs and selling drugs, drinking, causing mayhem.’
