Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is ending the controversial unmanned aerial vehicle program — before the drones ever took official flight.
“Today I spoke with Seattle Police Chief John Diaz and we agreed that it was time to end the unmanned aerial vehicle program, so that SPD can focus its resources on public safety and the community building work that is the department’s priority. The vehicles will be returned to the vendor,” McGinn said in a statement today.
The police department had said in an operations manual that the UAVs “can be utilized in circumstances which would save life and property, as well as being able to detect possible dangers that could not otherwise be seen.”
But members of the Seattle community were none too pleased with the concept, essentially hijacking a meeting last October in which protesters equated the police department’s plan to George Orwell’s “1984.”
Here’s more from that protest, with the action starting in minute 11.
(Previously on GeekWire: Drones over Seattle? Police to discuss unmanned aerial vehicle plan with residents)
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