Windsor police are looking at the latest technology to help fight crime.
The police service is about to introduce a new drone unit.
“We do have a drone project in the developmental stage," says Sgt. Steve Betteridge. “It is no big brother over seeing us. It is a tool to assist us in a call for service."
Betteridge tells CTV Windsor a drone can help police map and detail an entire scene in a fraction of time it currently takes officers on the ground.
“Accident reconstruction, missing person,” says Betteridge. “It could be utilized for something like if we had an area contained where a suspect fled from the police, in an area we cannot easily get to by foot or car, things of that nature."
While there may be some people who would be concerned about their privacy, authorities say a drone is strictly about adding another crime fighting tool to ensure community safety.
Betteridge says there are several police services in Ontario that already use drones in some capacity, like the OPP and Chatham-Kent police.
He tells CTV News proper training and certification are required before any officer can operate an un-manned drone.
“It has really endless opportunities of how we can use something like this to serve our community," says Betteridge
Police say they hope to have the drone flying on duty by sometime this fall.
At this time, police have not disclosed how much this initiative will cost but a drone has already been purchased.
Betteridge says details for the unit are still being worked out.
