If you’re in trouble in Dearborn, Michigan, your first responder might be a drone. The Detroit suburb announced this week that it is launching a first-in-the-state program with drone manufacturer Skydio that will see unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed to respond to incidents before local law enforcement is on the scene. Hopefully, it works out better than deploying the ED-209 did for the citizens of Detroit in “RoboCop.”
According to a press release from the city, stations will be set up across the city, where drones can be deployed to a scene “within 2.5 minutes.” They’ll provide law enforcement with real-time footage of the situation, which the city said would improve decision-making, reduce uncertainty, and “help officers respond more safely and effectively to complex, fluid situations and emergencies.” The drones will supposedly be sent to respond to reports of violent crimes, traffic crashes, missing persons, and vehicle and property break-ins.
“This program will enable us to assess situations almost instantly when someone calls for help,” Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said in a statement. “By supporting our officers in real-time as critical situations develop, it acts as a force multiplier, ensuring we cut down on response time, allocate resources appropriately, and provide robust service every time.”
The city believes the drones will help to “increase de-escalation” by letting cops see what kind of situation they are walking into ahead of time, “thereby decreasing use-of-force likelihood and resolving calls safely for all involved.” Seems like maybe police should just be significantly less likely to escalate in the first place, but hey, if it works…