The Dutch parliament has approved legislation that will allow drones to be used for video surveillance of the country’s citizens. Almost all political parties voted in favor of an amendment to the snappily named municipal act relating to the extension of the authority of the mayor to deploy camera surveillance, which had been proposed by two MPs, Ivo Opstelten and Ronald Plasterk. With the amendment now voted into law, in the near future, Dutch municipalities will be allowed to use mobile cameras, including drones, to monitor residents.

According to the amendment, existing legislation relating to camera surveillance needed to be extended to allow law enforcement agencies to intervene in the event of persistent disturbances that that move between areas —for example, a riot spreading between neighborhoods.

Under the new legislation, it’s now up to the mayor of a city to decide what form of camera surveillance should be used: fixed, vehicle mounted, or airborne.

“Camera surveillance contributes to improved public safety and makes nuisance, violence and crime significantly more visible,” a clarification document from Opstelten says.

However, the new legislation does not mean that fixed cameras are a thing of the past and only mobile cameras will be used from now on.

“At so-called hot-spots (such as recreational areas), fixed camera surveillance is still an adequate measure and will remain in use,” the document says. […]