By Tim Parsons-
Birmingham police used drones to take to the skies of Birmingham to monitor and catch hooligans causing trouble at a football match between Birmingham and Aston Villa.
Drones Recorded footage on a memory card and also relayed it to a police command room. Midland Police used a high-quality video camera that captures high-definition images of the streets around Birmingham City’s ground for the game against Aston Villa earlier, although aviation rules meant the device could not fly over the St Andrew’s stadium.
DRONES RESTRICTIONS
Police drone
Restrictions were imposed on the drones to stay away from residential properties. Police said the use of the new technology formed part of a visible police presence” to “maintain public safety”.
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A West Midlands Police spokesman said the wider policing operation using drones “is substantial” and included “Section 60” stop-and-search measures to “tackle risk groups who are determined” to cause “serious violence”.
The force said it would be exercising the powers post-match to help prevent violence “and the use of weapons” using the assistance of drones.
Violence in Birmingham football matches has occurred too often in the past and police were determined to prevent this. The city which boasts of some of the highest earning professionals in the country also has its fair share of hooliganism and gang culture.
DRONES ARRESTS
14 arrests were made after the match between Birmingham City and Aston Villa, with charges pressed for affray, encroachment, and violent disorder. Police presence in football matches is increasingly becoming a necessity in today’s football.
There was a moment of unified togetherness in the 21st minute of the game, when the crowd stood up and applauded the decision to re-open the inquest into the 197 Birmingham bombings. That is going back years, but goes to show the importance of completion in any investigation or inquest.