BAY AREA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TEST DRONES, the local NBC affiliate reports:

They began as tools in military combat. Now aerial drones are being considered by Bay Area law enforcement agencies as a cost-cutting way to replace helicopters, and use technology to fight crime and save lives.

Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern first tested one of these Unmanned Aerial Systems or UAS about a year ago. Now he’s looking into possibly bringing a drone here. His office would be the first in California to do it. Armed with live-video-feeding capabilities and different features, like infrared devices, these drones can cost in the ballpark of 50- to 100-thousand dollars or more.

Given San Francisco-area voters love of big government, I assume nobody there is shocked by this development. Given that Salon is quoting the “Occupied Oakland Tribune” (no, really) in response to the story though, I’m reminded a bit of this awesome ad by the Libertarian Party a few months ago: