Drone Surveillance Coming - Greenville
Greenville police add drone capable of 90-second response citywide
The Greenville Police Department has put a new drone into service, telling the city council the device can reach any location in the city within 90 seconds.
At the Greenville City Council meeting Tuesday, a police department representative, identified in meeting records as Mark Turner, though the recording does not name the speaker at that point, told council members the drone was now operational. "So it's here. And the drone will get to any location within 90 seconds," the speaker said. "So it's safe for our officers and our public as well to make sure that we are solving crimes, reducing crime, but also protecting our officers."
The presentation did not include details on how the drone is funded, which vendor supplied it, or what policy governs when and how officers may deploy it. No council member raised those questions during the discussion, according to the meeting record.
The addition expands the department's surveillance and response capability across the city. Because no funding source, contract value or use policy was disclosed, it remains unclear what oversight, if any, governs when officers can deploy the device.