Minneapolis council rejects Skydio contract for 'drones as first responder' program
Minneapolis considering first responder drones
A large crowd turned out for a Minneapolis City Council meeting on first responders potentially using drones for law enforcement and public safety operations. FOX 9's Karen Scullin has the latest details.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A plan to launch Minneapolis’ first "drones as first responders" program hit a roadblock after a split council vote on Thursday.
Council vote stalls drone program in Minneapolis
What we know:
The proposal would have contracted with Skydio Inc. to provide drones for Minneapolis to use as first responders. The drones would have been dispatched to scenes to give officers a bird’s-eye view as they respond.
The program failed to advance after a 6-6 vote, meaning the city will not move forward with Skydio as the vendor. Several other police departments in the Twin Cities already use similar drone technology.
City officials argued that the drones could be a powerful asset for improving police responses.
Community concerns and council debate
Local perspective:
The proposal drew heavy scrutiny from community members at a meeting last week.
Some community members raised concerns about privacy concerns with the drone technology. Others were concerned about Skydio's relationship with the Israeli military, which they say the company provides drones for.
What they're saying:
Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw expressed frustration with colleagues who she felt were prioritizing international issues over local needs.
"How am I supposed to explain this decision to the people I represent?" asked Vetaw. "How am I supposed to explain to the residents who call my office every day – often multiple times with concerns that this program could help address – that we are choosing not even to give a chance... that my colleagues are focused on events halfway around the world, and not on the needs of everyday people here in Minneapolis who elected us."
"I wanted to clarify that as I'm making my decision, I'm not lost halfway around the world," Council Member Soren Stevenson responded. "I'm in the Central neighborhood, where dads were dragged out of the house and dragged into ICE detention facilities. In that neighborhood where Green Central, a Spanish immersion school is. Students were forced to stay home, and they lived under toxic fear for months. In my neighborhood and in, in the Central neighborhood, where Renee Good was murdered by our government, and where my constituent, Alex Pretti was executed for loving his neighbor. So when I make my decision, I am rooted deeply in my community, in my ward, and with my constituents."
Council Member Jamal Osman said he supported the proposal, but he couldn't support Skydio and urged city officials to come back with a new proposal with a different vendor.
The Source: Information from the Minneapolis City Council meeting and FOX 9 reporting.