A bill now on Governor JB Pritzker’s desk would increase the ability of Illinois law enforcement agencies to use drones to protect large gatherings and events.
The bill approved by lawmakers last week arose out of last year’s deadly mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park.
While police are allowed to use drones in certain circumstances, such as to search remote areas for missing persons, concerns about civil liberties had prevented police from using them to conduct surveillance of large outdoor crowds.
But supporters say police need that additional tool to watch for suspicious activity like the rooftop shooter in that deadly parade shooting last year.
