Warwick advances plan for drone-as-first-responder program, approves three‑year contract funded by asset forfeiture

Warwick City officials approved moving forward with a proposed drone‑as‑first‑responder program under a three‑year contract with a vendor (presented as Flock Safety in the packet). The finance committee extensively questioned operational safeguards, FAA approvals, privacy protections and ongoing funding; council members and members of the public weighed both safety benefits and civil‑liberties concerns.

Colonel Michael Lima presented the program to the committee and later answered council questions. He described the drone as a reactive tool that launches from a rooftop storage unit and arrives on scene often within a minute, relaying live video and situational awareness to dispatch and supervisors. The department described the drone as a supplement to — not a replacement for — officers on scene, and noted applications for swatting responses, fire assessment, coastal storm damage documentation, and search operations.

Key policy and operational details: - Costs and funding: The proposed contract totals $150,000 over three years ($50,000/year), to be paid from federal asset forfeiture funds (code 364‑0400), meaning no general‑fund tax dollars would be required for the initial three‑year term. City staff said the current federal forfeiture balance could cover three years. - FAA and technical: The vendor will pursue FAA waivers and handle the waiver application process. The hardware/software package includes drone hardware, vendor software, automatic avoidance and flight‑management tools, and a hosted cloud archive for video evidence. Officials emphasized the vendor's ability to obtain the necessary waivers (the vendor already holds approvals for other agencies) and noted built‑in collision‑avoidance systems. - Privacy and data retention: The department described a 30‑day retention policy for routine video (consistent with other local camera programs) and a transparency portal listing flights, call reasons and flight tracks. Video retained beyond 30 days would be preserved only for evidentiary reasons or in response to a valid public‑records request that warrants preservation. - Coverage and limitations: One rooftop drone, the department said, can cover most of the city but may require hot‑swap battery operations on long missions or additional drones for complete concurrent coverage of distant neighborhoods. Battery and range constraints (optimal 45–55 minutes under ideal conditions, realistic ~25–45 depending on weather; about 3–3.5 mile effective radius in ideal conditions) were discussed at length.

Council reaction was mixed but ultimately supportive in committee and moved the item forward. Supporters highlighted examples where rapid aerial situational awareness can improve officer and public safety; skeptics raised concerns about reliance on forfeiture funding for ongoing costs, FAA/airport flight‑pattern interactions (Warwick sits under active arrival/departure paths), liability if a drone malfunctioned, and the need for robust data governance. The solicitor and chief of staff said vendor contracts will be reviewed by the city solicitor and that the city will require contract language addressing liability and data control.

What happens next: The council advanced the item on the bid package and the item was moved forward in the consent calendar; Finance Committee recommended moving the contract forward. If the city signs the contract, the vendor will pursue the FAA waivers, deliver hardware and software, and the department will train personnel to operate the drone and manage the transparency and evidence‑retention processes.