San Francisco police credit the use of technology as one reason crime is down 34% from this time last year. On Monday, the department and city showed off how new Drone as First Responder, or DFR technology, is making crime fighting more efficient and helping alleviate SFPD’s staffing shortage.
Upon first glance, there doesn’t appear to be anything noticeably different with the DFR technology compared to drones ones already in use by SFPD.
However, unlike the field drone program which launched seven months ago, DFRs aren’t stores in the back of a police cruiser. A total of six will be manned at a central location such as atop a roof so response to service can be quicker.
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SFPD Chief Bill Scott called it a “game changer.”
Video played at Monday’s demonstration showed how a bike thief was recorded entering a building by DFR technology. Moments later, officers arrive on foot and bodycam shows the arrest.