Hemet police testing drone technology for everyday calls

If you see a drone buzzing over your head in Hemet, it may very well belong to police. While the drone may offer police critical information, the ACLU is keeping an eye on the department's use to see if it'll raise privacy red flags.

HEMET, Calif. - If you see a drone buzzing over your head in Hemet, it may very well belong to the police.

The Hemet Police Department is one of several Southern California agencies testing drone usage on everyday calls, not just on tactical responses.

Police officials say the drones can help officers assess situations better, making better decisions that ultimately benefit the public.

The drones can be deployed much faster than the helicopters, are quieter, and can get much closer, giving officers looking at the live feed from their vehicles, even cellphones, critical information.

Privacy concerns have been raised, and the ACLU is among the agencies keeping an eye on drone usage by law enforcement agencies.

Hemet PD officials say they are being as transparent as possible, even making the flight paths available to the public, on a delay (so as not to hamper real live responses). But the public can see, about 12 hours after, where the drones have been flying and get a better sense of where and how they are being used.

You can access what they call their Transparency Portal by clicking here. They also have a DFR program landing page with the portal that includes more information.