San Francisco on Monday showed off a new program that includes using drones as first responders in some cases, and San Jose's mayor said his city may soon be following suit.
The drones can be operated out in the field or dispatched from a control center.
During Monday's unveiling, San Francisco police showed drone footage from recent cases, including a report of a possible bike thief.
"We were able to move in, we were able to make a safe arrest," an officer said. "Oftentimes these result in chases and tackling people. Cops get hurt, suspects get injured. In this case, it was very safe. This person ended up being wanted for another residential burglary so we really got a two-for-one arrest."
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who helped start the program, invited San Jose’s mayor and police chief to Monday's demonstration, saying technology like drones have contributed to a local 34% drop in crime.
"It’s not just about San Francisco. It’s about the Bay Area as a region," Breed said. "Together we can make the entire Bay Area a lot more safer using technology.”
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who also got to fly a drone, said this technology will probably be on the next proposed budget.
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"Getting there with eyes on the scene faster makes a lot of sense, and it’s something I want San Jose to explore," he said. "We do use drones today, but we have not deployed them as a first responder the way that San Francisco has. I think it’s very promising use of technology and it’s something we’re considering."
New San Jose police Chief Paul Joseph was impressed but pointed out a drone program needs to fit a city’s needs.
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"San Jose is a relatively large, flat valley, whereas San Francisco is very hilly and has a lot of tall buildings which creates issues for different electronic signals and the flying of the drones," Joseph said. "We don’t have those same challenges in San Jose."
