Cops learn how to fly drone in bid to tackle rural crime

A PAIR of police officers from the Derbyshire Rural Crime Team have passed a course that will give them the ability to fly a drone over the Derbyshire Dales.

PCS Andy Shaw and Karl Webster will use the device to remotely monitor the area from above, which they say will help them investigate crimes in the rural area.

Sargent James Shirley said: “Drones can bring about great benefits to policing which can give us more capability when it comes to preventing and detecting crime.

“Especially so in the Peak District and in rural-based incidents, now that we have two officers from our team trained and qualified for drone support.”

The force announced it was using the technology throughout the county, with a small dedicated drone unit to provide aerial support.

Drones have been used as part of the police’s response to a wide variety of incidents including searching remote locations for missing people, helping in the hunt for a wanted man, providing an aerial view of drugs warrants and directing firefighters tackling the Saddleworth Moor wildfire.