The Denver Police Department is taking to the skies with a new eyes-in-the-sky approach to first response. They've initiated a pilot program that employs drones as first responders to emergency calls, aiming to shore up response times and give officers a live feed of situations as they unfold. The program, which launched on October 16, has put two drones into action that can be deployed rapidly to provide a vantage point and situational information before a patrol officer's arrival on the scene.
According to the Denver Police Department's news release, these aren't your average drones. Known as the Drone as First Responder (DFR) technology, they're designed to be selectively responsive, which means they come into play based on certain assessment criteria, including the incident's nature, location, and whether it's in progress or involves weaponry. "The drones can be launched within seconds and typically arrive on-scene of a call for service before patrol officers," said Clifford Barnes, the Denver Police Cyber Bureau Commander.
Early returns on this program highlight its potency. Since the launch, DFR drones have responded to 215 service calls and regularly outpaced patrol officers to incidents, arriving first over 80% of the time. In more than a third of these responses, the drone pilots could ascertain that no further patrol assistance was needed, enabling a strategic reallocation of officers to other pressing calls. Moreover, the drones have contributed critical information in 95% of their flights, which has been instrumental in decision-making by officers on the ground.
An advantage the DFR program boasts is heightened safety for both the community and officers. "The DFR drones provide an advantageous view from above, allowing the pilots to determine whether a subject is armed or is attempting to evade or hide from officers so we can help prevent officers from walking into a dangerous situation," Denver Police DFR Team Sergeant Brent Kohls mentioned in the statement obtained by the City and County of Denver. Such insights enable a cautious approach, better geared towards de-escalating potential confrontations and increasing overall situational awareness.
With such results, it's clear why Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas considers this tech a priority. "One of my highest priorities is reducing response times to meet the needs and expectations of our community," he stated, as obtained by the City and County of Denver, emphasizing that the DFR system is only one facet of a broader strategy to enhance policing efficiency, which also includes officer hiring and deployment strategies based on data analysis.
As the evaluation carries on, there's an emphasis on transparency and ethical use. Plans are in motion to share flight information and flight paths through a public dashboard, ensuring this groundbreaking use of technology does not go unchecked. For the time being, the Denver Police is making use of the Skydio Drone, but they're also considering other systems like the Flock Aerodome, though they've decided not to utilise the system's license plate reader during the ongoing assessment phase.
This innovative approach by the Denver Police could be a paradigm shift in law enforcement's use of technology. While the current pilot program, costing zero dollars, extends through March 2026, the early success of the drones in Denver's policing tapestry may herald a new norm in urban public safety strategy. For more detailed information, visit the City and County of Denver's official announcement.
