Will drones, laser-focused video cameras become the new wave of law enforcement in Hattiesburg MS?

The City of Hattiesburg is considering adding to its police and fire departments, but rather than hiring people, officials are looking at adding drones and other technology to help improve public safety and combat crime.

"Law enforcement continues to evolve in ways that use more technological innovation and focuses more on community-based policing," Barker said. "We have to continue to look for ways to give our men and women in both departments the tools they need to keep both themselves and the public as safe as possible.

"This is a necessary transformation, particularly as departments across the country struggle to recruit enough personnel to meet staffing needs."

One idea the city is considering is the introduction of drones as first responders, which could improve emergency response times for police and fire calls and possibly de-escalate situations before they get out of control.

A video presentation by Brinc representative Mark Lane illustrated how a drone can get to a scene much faster than emergency responders and assess a situation while police or firefighters are en route to give them a better idea of what is happening and create a response plan.

The drones can fly into a burning house to see where the fire is spreading or detect humans. They can respond to a variety of calls for police and relay back useful details that would not be available until an officer arrives at a scene.

"This information could be relayed to the officers … so they can get this information and video feed also, and decide what is the best approach," said retired Dallas police officer Mark Lane, who now works for Brinc, which focuses on public safety technology.

Although drones can provide help in emergencies, some in Hattiesburg are concerned about privacy and increased penalties that might overburden families who are already struggling financially.

NAACP reacts: Open letter to Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker about radar, drones use by police

"Police use of drones risks exposing many city residents to unintended surveillance at any hour, which many would consider an invasion of privacy," NAACP Forrest County Chapter President Clarence Magee said in a letter to the Hattiesburg American. "It’s a slippery slope."

In addition to drones, the city is looking at using radar and camera equipment to take pictures of all vehicles and license plates to determine whether the vehicle is insured. Uninsured motorists would be sent a citation and given options to pay the fine, go to court or go through a diversion program. Insurance would have to be purchased in any case.

"From a law-enforcement support position this is important to solving, said Mark Dunston, retired Ocean Springs police chief, who talked about the Secure-X radar cameras used in Ocean Springs and the Intellex radar and video technology that documents speeding motorists, which is not in use in Mississippi at this time.

The license plate and car information is stored and can be used to track down a vehicle that may have been used in a crime, Dunston said.

This measure also raised red flags with some residents.

"Your second proposal to purchase radar equipment to detect drivers not insured will no doubt be popular among those who pay their insurance, though it will not likely lower their own car insurance costs," Magee said. "And the heavy fines (and possible imprisonment) of those least able to afford insurance will increase local poverty when the family loses access to their car."

The third measure, which Barker said would be implemented in the near future, would use officer-operated radar and video cameras to capture motorists speeding in school zones.

"We would be the first in Mississippi to do this," Barker said. "We're looking at doing that as early as this school year if council approves it."

Throughout the public meetings, Barker has expressed the need for transparency in addition to increased public safety. He wanted to make sure people have the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns about the measures under consideration.

"The principal goal is making sure that we are doing all we can to keep our personnel, residents, businesses and visitors as safe as possible while also safeguarding transparency and privacy," Barker said.

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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Will Hattiesburg MS use drones and cameras to police the city?