Committee
Justice Sub-Committee on Policing 18 January 2021
18 Jan 2021 · S5 · Justice Sub-Committee on Policing
Item of business
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems and Body-worn Video Cameras
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
Watch on SPTV
We have three drones: two are based in the north, and one is based in the west, at our air support heliport in Glasgow. They have all been used in an operational context at some point. I will give some figures from May 2019 through to November last year. The drones were deployed in a number of scenarios. For example, they were deployed for missing person searches on 59 occasions and for major incidents, such as murders or significant events in which there was a request for support, on seven occasions. They were deployed on a number of occasions to take photographs of crime scenes or vehicle accident locations. In addition, there were deployments to try to prevent rural crime. For example, on one particular occasion a number of stakeholders were involved when technical equipment was being stolen from a particularly large wind farm. We deployed uniformed officers to patrol, as well as flight time for the drones. That had a significant, positive impact in terms of crime prevention and was very well received by those members of the public who lived in the rural area and, of course, by the landowners and others who were involved in the request for drone use. Drones have been used for quite a wide variety of issues, but that use has been very overt and has supported crime prevention or public safety, or the investigation of serious crime, when there has been a request from a senior investigating officer or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. We are, clearly, still evaluating the utility and helpfulness of drones. As I said earlier, the helicopter is our other air asset. We use it a lot, but it is very expensive, and it is not always able to transit across the country, because of the weather and other such factors. Drones offer us a tactical option other than the helicopter, to do, in effect, what the helicopter does. For example, if we are looking for a missing person, drones can support the search of coastlines and other more inaccessible areas where it might be more dangerous or risky to deploy emergency responders. The topographic capabilities allow us to get an overview. We could get that overview using a helicopter, but that would be expensive and using a drone for that purpose is far more efficient and effective, as well as being better value for the taxpayer and the organisation. The drones have utility that, although not as flexible, sustainable and enduring as that of the helicopter, which is a more resilient piece of kit, is hugely beneficial to front-line officers, service delivery and in protecting the public. 11:45
In the same item of business
The Convener
Green
Our main item of business is an evidence session on Police Scotland’s use of remotely piloted aircraft systems, which are more commonly known as drones, and ...
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams (Police Scotland)
I am happy to do so. You mentioned the two specific assessments that took place on receipt of the drones; they have been reviewed and updated annually since ...
The Convener
Green
Can you comment on that, Mr Sillers?
Barry Sillers (Scottish Police Authority)
Certainly. I confirm that when the SPA’s strategy, policy and performance committee considered use of RPAS at its meeting in May 2019, we were given sight of...
The Convener
Green
I note that Mark Williams said that assessments “were in place prior to operational deployment”, but were all the assessments of drones and BWV undertaken be...
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
The assessments were, for a number of important reasons, carried out concurrently and on receipt of the final product. First, we did not feel that the detail...
The Convener
Green
Surely you assess the capability of product A, B or C for its intended use before you acquire it—at considerable expense to the public purse—rather than afte...
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
I reassure you again that an EQHRIA and a DPIA are in place, and were in place prior to operational use of the technologies. The technology and supply of dr...
The Convener
Green
I am not sure that I am reassured. My colleagues have a number of questions.
Shona Robison (Dundee City East) (SNP)
SNP
Good morning. What level of stakeholder engagement was there in drawing up the assessments? Were any significant concerns raised prior to acquisition of dron...
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
We carried out a significant period of research in the three or four years prior to procurement of drones. That was in order to understand and benchmark dron...
Shona Robison
SNP
Were any significant concerns raised by any of the stakeholders whom you consulted?
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
A number of concerns were raised in relation to, for example, article 8 of the European convention on human rights, on the right to privacy. We were careful ...
Shona Robison
SNP
Thank you for that. Looking ahead, what further assessments will need to be made as such technologies develop and their use increases? Do you envisage early ...
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
Absolutely. The force absolutely recognises that new and emerging technologies, of which drones are one, represent a developmental area that requires clear g...
Shona Robison
SNP
I invite Matthew Richards to respond.
Chief Superintendent Matthew Richards (Police Scotland)
The ACC has articulated the stakeholder assessment with regard to RPAS. From my perspective, it is important to note that the force does not have a national ...
Shona Robison
SNP
Thank you; that was most helpful.
Barry Sillers
On the more general point about the eminently good practice of local engagement, I refer to the SPA’s written submission. At the start of her questions Shona...
Shona Robison
SNP
You anticipated my final question, which was going to be on the SPA’s recommendation for an evaluation of the use of body-worn cameras. You have said that ex...
Barry Sillers
Certainly. The quality of the evaluation increases the more different people you engage with—for instance, the Scottish Institute for Policing Research submi...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
I would like to ask generally about the new technologies that are being bought and will be implemented. There are many claims made about the benefits of thos...
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
I will say a couple of things; I will mention body-worn video here as well, because practical examples can be given of how to evaluate and measure the effect...
Rona Mackay
SNP
Thank you. As no one else wants to come in with an opinion on that, my questions are finished, convener.
The Convener
Green
Thank you. Our next series of questions is from Fulton MacGregor.
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
Good morning. Witnesses will be aware that the sub-committee was recently—Inaudible.—that Police Scotland had a sound legal basis for the use of cyber kiosks...
Assistant Chief Constable Williams
I think that I picked up all that, although the sound broke slightly. I am happy to cover the codes of practice and the legislation that underpins drones. Th...
Fulton MacGregor
SNP
Thank you for that comprehensive answer. Do the other witnesses want to add anything to that?
Chief Superintendent Richards
I will come in now with regard to body-worn video, if that is in order. Along the lines of the points that the ACC raised, articles 2, 6 and 8 of the ECHR wi...
Barry Sillers
Part of the revised evaluation of remotely piloted aircraft systems that the authorities asked for in March included the Civil Aviation Authority audit that ...