What does the future of police response look like in North Myrtle Beach? For Police Chief Dana Crowell, the answer may be drones.
The North Myrtle Beach Police Department is seeking money from the city to help fund a new drone program that would target first response situations. The program, commonly known as Drones as First Responder, automatically deploys drones to assist officers at crime scenes.
This type of program has become more popular across the country and within South Carolina. Police departments in Florence and Summerville have both adopted Drone as First Responder programs within the last year. But the technology comes with a major price tag.
The drone program would cost around $380,000 annually for the first few years, Crowell told The Sun News. That includes the drones, the software it takes to run the program and other maintenance expenses…