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Syracuse police seek drone-software renewals; council asks surveillance working group report before new purchases
Summary
The Syracuse Police Department asked the Common Council to approve three software agreements for its drone program funded by a grant that expires March 31. Councilors pressed for a committee meeting and the surveillance-technology working group report before moving the items, and the council discussed timing constraints tied to grant deadlines.
The Syracuse Police Department asked the Syracuse City Common Council to authorize three software agreements for its drone program, saying the purchases are paid for through a federal grant that expires March 31.
Deputy Chief Rich Shaffer told the council the renewals include an Axon Air contract for tracking and managing current drone flights and two other systems — one priced at $111,000 for the existing drone program and another at $57,000 for software intended to support a “drones-as-first-responder” program that would allow flights beyond line-of-sight for certain emergency uses. Shaffer said the drone-as-first-responder capability would apply only to that particular program, not to the department's other drones.
Council members pressed for more detail and for the surveillance-technology working group’s final recommendations before approving the items. Councilor (unnamed in the transcript) asked when the working-group report would be available; Shaffer said, “I would assume…within a week or 2, if it goes to the mayor and he signs off on it.” The councilor asked to hold the items pending a committee review. Another councilor said, given the number of outstanding questions, “let's hold our questions, let's call the committee meeting, so we can walk through why the process and all of that.”
Shaffer said the department has engaged the working group and that the city attorney is on that committee. He also acknowledged public education will be part of rolling out any drones-as-first-responder program.
Councilors and the police department discussed timing constraints tied to the federal grant. Shaffer said, “Since this is grant money and it expires at the end of the month, we need to spend the money before March 31.” Councilors responded they would expedite a committee meeting and review the working-group recommendations quickly.
No formal vote was recorded in the transcript. Councilors requested a committee meeting to review the working-group recommendations, procedural steps for implementation, and materials showing how the proposed software and operations will align with the group's recommendations and public outreach plans.
The discussion also included clarification that some drone deployments (for example, SWAT uses) are existing operations while the first-responder program remains in development and policy review.
Looking ahead the council agreed to schedule a committee meeting soon after the working-group report is transmitted to the mayor, and the police department agreed to provide additional documentation on the grants, program details, and public education plans.
