Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD brass announced on Wednesday a new drone first responder program focused on Central Park and other areas of the Big Apple.
According to Mayor Adams, the new drone pilot program will see several aircraft stationed at several police precincts throughout the city, most notably the Central Park Precinct, which covers the green space’s 843 acres. Hizzoner charges that the drones will help drastically reduce 911 response times.
“Drone potential is really just taking off,” Mayor Adams said. “We are leveraging the latest technology to enhance the NYPD’s emergency-response capabilities, remotely sending drones to the exact longitude and latitude of where an emergency call comes and sometimes in as little as a minute. These drones will mean more efficient policing and will help increase the safety of our responding NYPD officers and New Yorkers.”
The drones will be deployed above Central Park and will patrol the area much like a uniformed officer until a 911 call is received or a ShotSpotter alert occurs (ShotSpotter is the NYPD’s network of sensors designed to detect possible gunshots). Top police brass also underscored that cops always pilot the drones themselves.
In addition to Central Park, drones will be placed on the roofs of the 67th, 71st, and 75th Precincts in Brooklyn and the 48th Precinct in the Bronx.
The newfound focus on drone technology is the brainchild of NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry, who brought the proposal to previous Police Commissioner Edward Caban. According to Daughtry, the drones are instrumental in getting to emergencies in a matter of minutes.
“This is now part of our crime-fighting apparatus, and it is truly a game changer,” Daughtry said. “It is an exciting approach to emergency response that increases our operational efficiency while making everyone much safer. These strategic advantages are the future of policing in New York City and the nation.”
Cops say the placement of the drones on precinct rooftops will allow for even faster response times. Once on scene, the drones will be able to determine the severity of a given situation and will be able to report to emergency services how to proceed or even give chase to a dangerous suspect without them being aware.
Daughtry gave one example of a 4-year-old girl who was hanging from a window. Police say they deployed the drone and were able to inform responding officers of the drastic nature and, ultimately, were able to save the child’s life.
The drone deployment to Central Park comes after the Manhattan oasis saw a spike in crime, including assaults and robberies. The NYPD surged cops into the park in order to combat what they cited at the time as migrant gangs.
This new tech will also keep a bird’s eye view of the park in hopes of deterring such crime.
“We are at the forefront of these exciting innovations today, and we must always keep seeking out the benefits of new and improving technology,” NYPD Interim Commissioner Tom Donlon said. “Our DFR program is part of this evolution. It enables our highly trained officers to be even more responsive to the people we serve, and to carry out the NYPD’s critical work in ways that are increasingly effective, efficient, and safe for everyone.”
