Title
Police Department Unmanned Aircraft System (Drones) (Ordinance S-48363)
Description
On Feb. 14, 2022, Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, Mayor Kate Gallego and Council members Debra Stark and Jim Waring submitted a memo to City Manager Jeff Barton requesting an Add-On item for the Feb. 16 Formal for the “purchase of drones for the Phoenix Police Department” (Attachment A). According to the Rules of Council Proceedings, Rule 2(c), the City Manager will place this item on the Feb. 16, 2022 Formal agenda (Attachment B).
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to allow the Police Department to create and deploy a small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS)/Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) "drone" program, including the purchase of drones from an approved vendor, using a cooperative agreement as necessary. This equipment, which is critical for the safety of department personnel, will be used during high-risk tactical incidents to conduct highly detailed and complex investigations and support major planned/unplanned events. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. The cost for this purchase shall not exceed $516,400.
Report
Summary
The City of Phoenix presented a phased UAS ("drone") program to the Public Safety and Justice subcommittee in January 2022 where the first phase of the program was approved, authorizing the Fire Department to implement a drone program. The Police Department was included in phase three of the program at that time, which was not yet approved. This action would effectively include the Police Department in phase one, authorizing the Police Department to implement a drone program.
Over 1,500 public safety agencies across the country utilize sUAS technology and 1,103 of those agencies are law enforcement. At least 36 agencies in Arizona have implemented sUAS technology in support of their respective public safety missions.
The Phoenix Police Department has identified several specific work units within the department where the use of sUAS technology will have the greatest impact and opportunity for success. These work units have been identified below.
The Tactical Support Unit will utilize this technology during high-risk tactical incidents, where on-scene intelligence is crucial to the safety of department personnel. The ability to deploy sUAS to gather aerial intelligence or determine a suspect’s location significantly reduces risk and exposure of a tactical operator having to be placed in harm’s way to collect similar intelligence.
Application of this technology also improves suspect safety as it provides visual capabilities allowing tactical operators to communicate with the suspect prior to contact, minimizing direct confrontation during high-risk, high-stress encounters. Direct communication can be used to provide specific instructions to the suspect and to facilitate de-escalation efforts and hazard avoidance.
The Violent Crimes Bureau (Homicide Unit), Vehicular Crimes Unit, and the Laboratory Services Bureau will utilize this technology to enable investigators to conduct high definition photography, videography, and crime scene mapping; increasing efficiency and accuracy in evidence collection and crime scene management. Application of sUAS technology will enable investigators to conduct crime scene mapping in most cases in about 8-10 minutes, with larger more complex scenes taking approximately 25 minutes based on individual crime scene dynamics. This represents a time savings of approximately 40-60 percent as compared to the current conventional methodology.
The Homeland Defense Bureau will deploy this technology as a real-time aerial platform in support of major planned/unplanned events or significant incidents. The use of sUAS will provide department leadership information to make more effective operational decisions involving the deployment of department resources and personnel.
The impact of not funding, equates to an increased risk for tactical operators while the lack of real-time intelligence can adversely impact operational decision-making in the field; diminishes the command and controlled decision-making for the deployment of resources and personnel during high-profile events; and the ability for the department’s Homicide Unit, Vehicular Crimes Unit, and the Laboratory Services Bureau to utilize this technology to provide a wide variety of investigative support tools that adversely impact their ability to conduct aerial photography, videography, crime scene mapping, and reconstruction as a substantial component to crime scene management.
The utilization of sUAS technology by law enforcement for investigative support has become the “gold standard” and is nationally recognized as the institutionalized best practice for conducting these highly detailed and complex investigations. The use of sUAS technology is a significant time saver for detectives on scene and reduces the amount of time spent on scene and impacts the public by shortening road closure times due to on-scene investigations.
Timeline
Currently the Department has a training lesson plan drafted, and expects to provide pilot training during procurement of the necessary equipment. Prior to use and deployment of the sUAS, standard operating procedures must be drafted and approved, and the department must obtain all relevant and appropriate approvals, in addition to obtaining the required waivers and licensing. It is estimated that the program can be enacted within 3-6 months. The Police Department also has a draft policy, which is currently being reviewed by the legal team, including a contracted privacy law attorney and the Department will provide updates to the City Council or its subcommittee as requested.
Financial Impact
Funding for this program will be built into the FY2021-22 and FY2022-23 general fund budget.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Police Department.