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Police drones play 'key role' preventing football disorder

Annie DelaneyCoventry
News imageBBC Two men dressed in black police uniform. The man on the left is wearing a police cap with a vest which is holding a police radio on his right shoulder, along with handcuffs in a holder on his left hand side. The officer on the right has short brown hair and also has a bodyworn camera attached on his left hand side, with his radio on the right and his handcuffs in a holder underneath.BBC
PCs Matt Lackie and George Howell pilot the drones

Police drones are playing a "key role" preventing disorder at Premier League football fixtures in the West Midlands thanks to a £2m pilot.

The project, partnered with West Midlands Police, started at the end of last season and uses eye in the sky policing to give officers a greater view of what is happening outside stadiums, and ensure crowd safety.

The Premier League described the pilot as "really positive" in tackling potential incidents as soon as they occur, by deploying officers where they are needed as footage is fed into a control room in real time.

The force currently uses drones at both of the region's top flight stadiums, at Aston Villa and Coventry City, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

PCs Matt Lackie and George Howell launched the police drone high into the sky above Coventry City's home ground, the CBS Arena, before the kick-off against Brighton & Hove Albion last Sunday.

The 30,000 fans making their way towards the ground were unaware they were being observed from the sky, as the drone hovers at more than 265ft (81m) above ground level.

The drones are only deployed before and after matches to ensure fans' safety.

It was Howell's third match as a drone operator, who described them as "mobile CCTV cameras".

The officers are in constant contact with the control room at the stadium, where the inspector in charge can direct police based on intelligence and operational needs.

News imageAn aerial image of Coventry City's FC stadium, the CBS Arena on match day. The stadium is on the right hand side and there are scores of fans leaving the ground. There are loads of vehicles including away fan's coaches in the car park which is on the left hand side.
Coventry were battered 5-0 but the game passed peacefully with no trouble

Inspector Tom Hanna was Bronze commander for the match and in charge of the operation.

The fixture against Brighton was deemed low risk, with 29 officers assigned.

Hanna, who is based in the control room, said the drones play a key role in helping police fixtures.

"Without the drones, I wouldn't get the same level of detail, so it gives me an idea how everything's flowing," he said.

"It's about getting ahead of any potential safety and crime issues."

News imageA police officer dressed in black with a vest, which holds his radio and body worn camera. He has yellow epaulettes showing his seniority. He has closely cropped hair with a stubble sitting in front of a screen showing an aerial around the football stadium, in front of the screen is the football pitch.
Inspector Tom Hanna was in charge of the match day policing at the CBS Arena

Claire Sumner, from the Premier League, said drones can help with crowd safety for its fans.

She added: "This pilot will help us learn things together and strengthen that partnership between policing, our clubs and our stewards because those are the magic ingredients."

"The less visible policing presence, which drones help with, is a really good thing."

The pilot is due to last until the end of the current Premier League season.

News imageA head shot of a woman sitting on a green sofa, she has strawberry blonde shoulder length wavy hair, she is wearing dark framed round glasses and a dark top, she is smiling, showing her teeth. There is a green plant in a white pot behind her left shoulder.
Clare Sumner from the Premier League said the pilot was a positive thing
Drones to be installed at Villa Park and Molineux
Coventry City FC
West Midlands Police