PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Violent crime in Philadelphia is down this year compared to last, but that hasn’t stopped city leaders from thinking of new ways to help police prevent crime. One idea gaining traction — or taking flight — is using drones.
Once upon a time, drones were simply the stuff of sci-fi novels. Now, they’re used by some 1,500 police departments nationwide to help fight crime. The Philadelphia Police Department is no exception, as its SWAT team currently has four drones to help in certain tactical situations. A fifth is on the way to help with water investigations. Still, the tool has a long way to go in both capacity and gaining trust.
City Council’s public safety committee hosted a hearing Friday to discuss how the technology could be valuable to law enforcement. “This is just another phase and another potential tool that can be used to prevent crime and assist our law enforcement officers with any particular incident,” said Council president Darrell Clarke at the start of the hearing.
During the proceedings, Eric Rosa, assistant director of school safety at the School District of Philadelphia, flew a drone in City Council’s chambers, in a first for the hallowed halls. Kevin Bethel, the district’s chief of safety, laid out how the district uses drones to keep kids out of harm’s way around school buildings.
“What we see [is] the plan to be able to use this technology to get around our schools to make sure that our kids are moving through the corridors safely,” he explained. Like the police department, the district has four drones.
Roxana Kennedy knows all about how drones can assist officers as chief of police in Chula Vista, California, where drones respond to 911 calls seven days a week. She presented her department’s philosophy at the hearing.
“In police work, it’s important for you to understand that we don’t have a crystal ball,” she shared. She said a drone, while not stepping in to stop a crime, can respond to a scene quicker than a patrol and assess whether more units should be sent.
Deputy Commissioner Francis Healy was in awe of Chula Vista’s capacity, and said the city is taking notes. “I’m kind of jealous, quite frankly, of what I saw,” he expressed. “I’m very interested in seeing how we can, in Philadelphia, develop something.”
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada suggested more conversations on expanding the use of drones, especially outside of City Hall. “I think it’s a conversation that we should really start having at the community level,” she said.