The NYPD's Technical Assistance and Response Unit has added 13 drones to the squad with the sole purpose of tackling emergency situations that conventional units are unable to handle.
"As the largest municipal police department in the United States, the NYPD must always be willing to leverage the benefits of new and always-improving technology," NYPD Commissioner James O'Neil said in a statement to the New York Daily News.
Critics of the drone unit worry that the expensive drones will be left sitting in their boxes collecting dust or will primarily be used to unfairly target people in communities of color.
The Legal Aid Society released a statement that read, "This is a dangerous step towards the further militarization of the NYPD.
According to police officials, the police purchased 11 Mavic Pro quadcopters that specialize in tactical operations, 2 M210 RTK quadcopters that have 30X zoom and thermal imaging cameras, and 1 quadcopter for training exercises.
Photo Credit: Getty Images