BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — The City of Brookhaven is using drones to fly over crime scenes and car crashes to help survey the site within minutes, according to 11Alive's partner, the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Its one of the first cities to test Skyfire Consulting’s drones as part of its first responder program. The drones are able to get to the scene faster than first responders can physically get there, the Business Chronicle reported.
Since April, Brookhaven Police said the drones have responded to 400 incidents. The drones give the police department an idea of what's going on in real-time before anyone gets to the scene.
Brookhaven joined Skyfire Consulting’s program after reviewing results in Chula Vista, California, which made 130 arrests within its first year of the drone program, the Business Chronicle said. The police department already used drones since last January to help officers in SWAT missions, so they decided to expand the drone program further.
They added that if the drones are used responsibly, they can help combat the city's crime and help officers avoid tragic interactions because they have a more informed idea of the situation they may face.
With the rise in crime in metro Atlanta, Brookhaven Police are hopeful drone technology will help combat crime.
Content from the Atlanta Business Chronicle was used in this report.