The effect of political affiliation on support for police drone monitoring in the United States

As unmanned aerial systems grow in popularity, police agencies are using this technology to provide aerial support for officers; however, public opinion could affect the success of this technological collaboration. Using social identity theory, researchers may be able to predict people’s support for various government projects. In a series of studies, participants were presented with a brief description of a proposal for using police drones to monitor political protests. Additional information was provided about the type of protest and type of person attending the protest. In general, conservatives were more supportive of police drones monitoring protests compared to liberals. However, this support was moderated by the type of participant and the type of protest; that is, support dropped when a participant believed that the protest supported their own political party beliefs. The current study provides a foundation for understanding what factors affect the public’s support of police incorporating drones into their daily workforce in the US.