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Council approves three‑year police drone program after debate on cost and privacy
Summary
The Yeadon Borough Council approved a three‑year contract for a Paladine Drones program not to exceed $150,000, with the first year covered by a $50,000 grant. Council members sought assurances on storage, uses and policy safeguards before voting to proceed.
The Yeadon Borough Council on May 20 approved a three‑year drone services contract for the borough police department not to exceed $150,000, with the first year’s $50,000 covered by a grant, after a discussion about costs, retention and privacy protections.
Police Chief (speaker 17) told the council the Paladine Drones proposal is “basically soup to nuts,” covering training, maintenance and operations, and described use cases ranging from search and rescue to fire mapping. He said the contract provides one housed drone, operator training for up to 15 staff, and a 30‑day storage policy for routine footage unless items are flagged for retention.
The short‑term cost was a common concern. A resident and several council members questioned operational expense and how drone data would be used; the chief said the first year was funded by a $50,000 grant obtained by a state representative and that staff would pursue additional grant opportunities for later years. “We will not look in your windows,” the chief said when asked about privacy, adding that a formal policy would be adopted to restrict uses and preserve privacy.
Councilors asked technical questions about the equipment and storage. The chief said the drone would be mounted at a fixed location and remotely deployed to incidents, can operate at night with infrared capability, and is intended to provide situational awareness rather than evidence for traffic citations. He acknowledged that video cannot be used by itself to issue tickets under state rules and emphasized the program’s intended public safety applications.
After discussion, the council voted to approve the proposal; the motion carried by roll call. The chief said written policy language governing operational limits and data retention will be prepared and brought back to the council.
Next steps: the borough will finalize contractual details, confirm grant funding for year one, and present a formal drone policy for council review and adoption.
