Spy Plane Program by University of California Press

A revealing insider's account of one of America's most contentious police surveillance trials. In 2020, Baltimore PD operated an aerial surveillance plane, capable of photographing and tracking every public figure. 'Spy Plane' unveils the story of this divisive policing experiment. Sociologist Benjamin H. Snyder, drawing from unparalleled access and firsthand observations within the for-profit tech startup managing the program for Baltimore detectives, narrates real criminal cases handled using this untried tool. Employing aircraft equipped with potent cameras by Persistent Surveillance Systems, the spy plane project vowed to assist police in solving previously unsolvable crimes by tracing suspects' movements in violent cases. Originally designed for Iraqi battlefields, it was unprecedentedly adapted on this scale in a U.S. city. This gripping book offers a unique peek into the murky world of for-profit law enforcement tech trials, explaining why police and community leaders pin their hopes on untested technology to combat urban violence, yet often fall short.

• Unveiling America's most contentious police surveillance trial
• Sociologist Benjamin H. Snyder details real cases using an untested aerial surveillance tool
• Aircraft equipped with advanced cameras from Persistent Surveillance Systems aimed to solve previously unsolvable crimes
• Originally designed for Iraq war zones, the system's large-scale U.S. city adaptation was unprecedented