BRYAN COUNTY, Ga () – The Bryan County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) is using drones to catch drivers breaking the law behind the wheel.

The agency invested in drones a few years ago, initially utilizing them primarily for search and rescue operations. Recently, the office decided to expand their use beyond that. For instance, to monitor drivers violating traffic laws.

“The simplest way for them to achieve this is to wait until vehicles gather at an intersection. Then, they fly the drone down the side of the ones approaching, visually inspecting each to check for seatbelt use or if a driver is approaching the intersection with a phone in hand,” explained Bryan County Sheriff Mark Crowe.

The drone takes a photograph of the offender, and an officer is then sent to pull over the vehicle. This new approach has some Bryan County commuters, like David Graf, concerned about its legality.

“I think it’s a misallocation of funds and a breach of privacy,” Graf said. “Can they just do it the old school way?  You know, there’s a line of sight. Will that hold up in court? I don’t know. I know there’s issues with the red-light cameras and other technology.”

Crowe responded to those concerns said they received the green light from the solicitor’s office.

“It is really no different than a camera being on the side of the road, taking a picture of you running a red light or a camera being on the side of the road, taking a picture of you speeding through the school zones,” said Crowe.

He continued, “The same people who are arguing against it would be some of the same people who pull out their cell phone and start recording you in public and say, ‘it’s not a privacy issue. I can record wherever I want to’. You have a phone that has a camera, I have a drone that has a camera.”

Crowe said because of the uptick in accidents in Richmond Hill and around the Hyundai Plant, it’s crucial to have physical presence.

“We are not out here trying to invade people’s privacy at all,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is accomplish a goal. We want the public to be safer. I want them to know that we’re out there looking.”

In the growing county, Crowe said safety initiatives like this one are needed now more than ever.