In a bold move that situates technology at the vanguard of law enforcement response, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has disclosed plans to integrate drones into their 911 operations as part of a pioneering Drone as First Responder pilot program. The initiative will include five police precincts selected on the basis of prevailing crime trends, with three located in Brooklyn, one in the Bronx, and another dedicated to Central Park.
This pilot program, as NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security, is conceived with the objective of deploying drones in reaction to specific 911 calls, with precinct stationhouse roofs undergoing modifications to accommodate two drone platforms. The intricacies of this program reveal that while the drones will lift off and return to precinct rooftops, the pilots will remotely command them from the NYPD Joint Operations Center, situated at police headquarters in Lower Manhattan.
These airborne devices are not novelties within the NYPD arsenal. The department boasts an inventory of 85 drones, which have traditionally been deployed during major events such as the New Year’s Eve festivities in Times Square, to monitor large protests, and to inspect structural stability following accidents. However, the expansion of their use marks a considerable elevation in their operational capacity, as articulated by the department.
The drones are primed to be summoned to shooting incidents within their precincts and to respond to ShotSpotter alerts—signals from a network of microphones designed to pinpoint gunfire. “Officers will see what the drone sees in real time via their smartphones,” a spokesperson for the NYPD stated. This real-time video feed is anticipated to amplify the situational awareness of officers as they approach a scene, bolstering their safety and allowing for a more effective deployment of resources.
Yet, the increase in drone utilization, which spiked by over 400% last year compared to 2022, has sparked controversy and concern amongst civil rights advocates. The potential for “dystopian technology” to infringe on civil liberties has been flagged, with critics including the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), who have challenged the department’s drone use as a violation of First and Fourth Amendment rights. Daniel Schwartz, NYCLU senior privacy and technology strategist, warned, “The NYPD is playing fast and loose with our First and Fourth Amendment rights.”
NYPD’s Daughtry has also assured that while the drones from Da Jiang Innovations—a company under scrutiny for potential data sharing with the Chinese government—currently form part of the NYPD’s fleet, the department is in the process of phasing them out.
Relevant articles:
– NYPD to start using drones as ‘first responders’ on 911 calls, shooting investigations, nydailynews.com
– NYPD plans to begin using drones at 5 police precincts in NYC, WABC-TV
– NYPD Drones Soon Will Fly To 911 Calls, Police Brass Say, Patch
– NYPD Drones to Monitor Backyard Parties This Labor Day Weekend, Yahoo Movies Canada
– Republican Congressman Wants to Add Tasers to 911 Response Drones, iTech Post
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