Police drone use in Minneapolis considered by city council

Minnetonka PD using drones to respond to emergency calls

The Minnetonka Police Department is one of the first agencies to implement the use of drones for 911 calls. Police Chief Scott Boerboom joined Amy Hockert on FOX 9'S All Day Monday to detail why, and how they assist with calls.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis is taking steps toward using drones as a new part of its public safety response, with city leaders now studying how the technology could fit into emergency calls.

Minneapolis drone program

What we know:

A Minneapolis City Council legislative directive, proposed by council member LaTrisha Vetaw, asks staff to explore how drones could be used for emergency response in Minneapolis.

Dig deeper:

The city wants to see if drones could help with faster response to certain 911 calls, improve situational awareness for first responders and gather evidence when a crime has been committed. Staff will look at which types of calls drones could be used for and how quickly they could be deployed compared to traditional responders.

Minneapolis officials say drones could help with issues like illegal dumping and crimes involving damaged vehicles that happen quickly. 

The directive also requires staff to review how other cities have used similar programs and make sure any drone use would align with "Minneapolis’ commitment to privacy, transparency and civil liberties." Only a handful of agencies in Minnesota currently use drones as first responders.

A full copy of the directive can be found below:

Big picture view:

The cost of any drone program in Minneapolis is not yet known.

However, in Minnetonka, officials expect to spend about $265,000 per year on its "Drones as First Responders program."

Council member Vetaw said the program in Minneapolis could be used by multiple departments, which might help share the costs.

The Office of Community Safety has already looked into drone use, but previously paused due to cost and staffing concerns, according to Vetaw.

What's next:

Following the results of the legislative directive, the proposal will then go before city council committees to discuss prior to any potential vote for approval before the whole council.