Why Philadelphia needs police drones
Other cities, including Tijuana and Los Angeles, have seen big drops in crime when drones are used to help the police.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/XPT625O25JBOVKHYMCIX3QQ754.JPG)
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker deserves huge applause for investing in technology to improve public safety in her budget proposal, allocating $2.7 million toward police drone technology. During my campaign for City Council at large last year, I presented a plan to the former mayor, members of City Council, and the police commissioner titled “Drone Force Philly” — a strategy to utilize a fleet of drones in all 21 police precincts to fight and deter crime in a cost-effective, colorblind approach to policing.
Drones can be used to respond to violent crimes and drug transactions, allowing police to address crimes in real time. Race doesn’t factor in, as drones see crime, not color, in a manner that is uniquely different from a stop-and-frisk approach to policing.
The mayor’s proposed investment is a great step forward. Until now, the city has not gotten serious about using a drone system to help deter crime and violence. The Philadelphia Police Department, in a memo released by the Citizens Police Oversight Commission, noted that the city has only two operational drones.
As a cybersecurity attorney who specializes in artificial intelligence technology, I understand that some people fear new mechanization. And I also recognize the concerns around privacy, which my plan addresses through statutory laws such as requiring drones to be used in the line of sight, flight-height requirements, and no facial recognition software. But we must overcome those fears if we want to reduce violence and drug deaths in Philadelphia.
I am heartened that my efforts to advocate for a drone program that will save lives were heard.
Drones have been used effectively in over 1,500 police departments nationwide, and are a staple in policing internationally. Their capabilities to help fight gun violence and deter crime are limitless. Drones, via advanced software and automation, can respond to the scene of live ammunition fire faster than police vehicles can, giving first responders enhanced abilities to intercept suspected criminals who flee the scene. A drone can help coordinate an undermanned police force by allowing the nearest precinct to respond exactly where they are needed based on footage from the drone at the scene of a high-speed chase, car theft, or other crime.
In addition, drones can help patrol areas with illegal drug activity such as Kensington, allowing the city to arrest sellers of lethal illegal drugs or get emergency help to overdose victims.
While investment in drones is a great starting point, to fully maximize their benefit, I propose a model similar to my plan, “Drone Force Philly.” This includes:
Hiring a staff of employees to both monitor the drones, as well as provide IT support and a check against malfunctions. The unit would coordinate with and provide additional information to police to help inform responses to violent crime that can intercept and deter criminals.
Utilizing drones will allow law enforcement to have footage of crimes that occur in real time and increase safety in responding to high-speed pursuits and active shooters.
Operating one drone at each police division allows the department to patrol all 142 square miles of Philadelphia simultaneously.
Utilizing the fleet in this manner will ensure that drone patrol is effective, equitable, and reduces crime.
Evidence indicates how effective such a plan can be. In Tijuana, Mexico, the use of drones led to more than 500 arrests and a 10% decrease in overall crime rates, with a 30% drop in home robberies. Drones were also extremely effective when deployed by the Los Angeles Police Department. Additionally, the Beverly Hills, Calif., police chief has noted an initial 34% decrease in crime after implementing drones, which ultimately was key to the approved expansion of the program.
Drones used effectively will help to protect communities in our city that are crying out for help, like mine in Strawberry Mansion, where two people were killed and six shot in a mass shooting this January.
Drones used effectively will help an understaffed police force have a presence where officers cannot deter violence, and ensure we can identify criminals without resorting to facial recognition software — which research shows discriminates against Black people — to make arrests.
I look forward to City Council’s consideration of Mayor Parker’s proposal. The drone program may be a tiny item in the overall proposed budget, but it can make an enormous difference in helping make our city significantly safer.
Jalon Alexander is a cybersecurity attorney and former at-large City Council candidate.