After Final Hearing, Worcester Police Drone Heads To City Council

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester city council subcommittee on Wednesday held its final hearing over the police department’s move to acquire a drone. Now the issue will go to the full city council for a vote of support.

Wednesday’s hearing in the Standing Committee on Public Safety focused on the police department’s policy on drone use. Deputy Chief Paul Saucier answered questions about the policy, which is still in draft form. Councilors have been calling for a policy on drone use since the issue first came up in early April.

Saucier answered questions focusing on two main areas: drone use around homeless residents, and how the drone might impact the civil rights of city residents.

The draft policy says the drone would not be used in places where residents have a “reasonable expectation of privacy,” like inside homes. But the draft policy also says the drone can be used on private property if police have a warrant or permission of the property owner — or under a variety of “exigent…