The fight against crime has reached a new level with the launch and unveiling of four drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) for the police in North West.

“The sky is no longer the limit. It’s become our greatest tactical advantage,” emphasised he Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Maj Gen (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, during the launch that took place at the North West Air Wing in Potchefstroom on Monday, May 4.

The drones will provide shift law enforcement to proactive policing with real time aerial surveillance in crime hot spots and rural areas across the province.

During his address to the police officers who will operate the drones, Maj Gen (Dr) Naidoo highlighted various advantages of using drones to fight crime.

“Drones reduce response time as in emergencies because drones are easier to get off the ground. Drones also help with situational awareness and planning to improve intelligence during operations. This also aids in keeping police safe, as the bird’s eye view can establish if there are threats on the ground. They also aid in surveillance when we have suspicious activities, as well as at major events where there’s huge crowds,” he added.

See the video here:

 Naidoo also pointed to the fact that drones enhance the ability to get solid evidence that can assist with cases in court.

“The recording of police actions which we can later on use as evidence in the subsequent judicial matters is a very important aspect as far as policing is concerned. We’ll comply with the laws, but we will also use the laws to our benefit. It’s protecting our citizens and our members, so don’t see a lot of these laws as barriers,” he explained.

Visible policing has in essence gained another element – previously police would be on the ground, but now they can fine comb an area, without needing to drive up and down in the search for suspects.

Police members also did a short demonstration of the drones to show how they will be operated in the fight against crime. There are plans to expand capacity in the next financial year to ensure broader coverage across districts and specialised units.

“We just need to exploit the opportunity that is brought to us now. Whilst we are starting off with a small fleet, we hope to double that fleet in this current financial year. And the idea is that there will be sufficient allocation of drones to each district, as well as the other specialised provincial units.”