Talking drone takes to the sky to enforce social distancing, Georgia police say
The Savannah Police Department is taking next-level steps to keep residents safe amid the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 13,600 Georgians statewide as of April 14.
The department has urged the public to take Gov. Brian Kemp’s stay-at-home order seriously and recently used a talking drone to drive home the message, the Savannah Morning News reported.
“This is the Savannah Police Department. Due to the current health emergency, members of the public are reminded to keep a safe distance of six feet from others while in public places to reduce the spread of the coronavirus,” the aircraft bellowed as it hovered above Forsyth Park on Saturday, according to the Morning News.
Police Chief Roy Minter joined his officers on the ground as they steered the high-flying device using a remote control. A pilot and observer will man each of the drones, which officers will now use to enforce social distancing guidelines, WTOC 11 reports.
“We are in the middle of a crisis,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said, according to local station WSAV. “We’re on our peak time frame and we are serious about social distancing. The reason why we have so many cases we have is because, two weeks ago people felt that life was normal. It is not normal.”
The mayor, who issued a shelter-in-place order for the city in March, has previously expressed anger and frustration over the crowds of locals in Forsyth Park, the Morning News reported. The BeltLine, a series of walking trails and green spaces across the city of Atlanta some 250 miles away, has experienced similar issues as residents scramble to get out of the house to enjoy outdoor activities.
Minter said the drones are just “another public safety tool,” adding that the aircraft are already used in police investigations, WTOC 11 reports.
According to WSAV, the department currently uses five drones to monitor the city, two of which they will use to encourage residents to practice responsible social distancing while outdoors. Sgt. Jason Pagliaro added that the devices also help limit officers’ contact with the public while still getting their message across.
“They give us the capability to put it airborne, 100 feet in the air and cover a much larger area than an officer on foot could and get the same message out rather quickly and safely,” Pagliaro told the news station.
The sergeant said the drones will only be used in locations “where the need is present” and not for random patrols., WSAV reported.
The device’s camera function will also be turned off, police told WTOC 11.
Minter said Savannah residents can expect to see the drones in other parts of the city.
“All areas where we know there’s a possibility of large crowds gathering,” he told the station. “Whether that’s the parks or whether that’s other neighborhood area, even the basketball courts.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2020 at 10:28 AM.