Minneapolis City Council committees are taking a hard look at putting drones to work in emergencies, backing a measure from Ward 4 Councilmember LaTrisha Vetaw that could add unmanned aircraft to the city’s response playbook. The directive tells city staff to spell out potential uses, tally the costs and propose privacy and oversight rules before any drone program gets off the ground. The push comes as leaders weigh new technology alongside long running staffing and budget concerns inside the Office of Community Safety.
Committee Signs Off On A Directive
This week, a City Council committee signed off on Vetaw’s legislative directive, ordering a deep dive into how drones might assist on specific types of 911 calls. “If we’re really going to think of policing in the 21st century, we got to use technology,” Vetaw said, according to KSTP. The committee’s approval sends the issue to additional panels for more detailed debate before it can land on the full council’s agenda.
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