ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - KMOX has recently brought listeners the story of a filming company, SMS Novel, who is set to bring drone surveillance to St. Louis Neighborhoods beginning Monday, despite a cease and desist letter from the City.
Their business model is simple: fly drones over St. Louis neighborhoods to conduct surveillance and charge a fee to access that footage.
The efforts by SMS Novel has seen criticism from many St. Louis residents, including residents being vocal of a previously scheduled test at Gravois Park that ultimately was canceled.
Many public officials have been against the use of drones to capture criminals, with St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones vocally opposing against the use of drones, and 7th Ward Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier telling KMOX she was at the time planning to introduce new legislation regulating these drones, after her constituents told her this is not a good solution to deter crime.
"Not a single resident, not a single one, has come to me and said this is a solution to deal with crime," said Sonnier. "This actually makes me feel very unsafe."
St. Louis Chief of Police Robert Tracy is joining Sonnier and Jones in opposition against the use of drones in catching criminals, doubting it will help with safety.
"There some privacy rules and private people that I worry about," Tracy told KMOX's Sean Malone. "Are they being surveilled in a way that is random or from a vantage point? and from a private company what are they using that for?"
When it comes to SMS Novel, Tracy raised some questions regarding the company, from how pilots can maintaining a sightline with the drone incase it begins to fall from the sky as one of them. He says he hasn't seen anything that leads him to believe what they advertise actually helps.
"I have not seen anything out there to verify the success of doing this." said Tracy.
Tracy says the police departments already have safety surveillance, like mobile street cameras on poles. Chief Tracy contrasted the private company's business model with the police departments mobile street cameras on poles, saying the department protects people's civil liberties.
"We have guardrails in place to protect people's civil liberties," said Tracy. "To surveil people for any other reason can be concerning."