The San Francisco Police Department is rolling out to the public its new drone program.
The program is part of a high tech crime fighting unit made possible by the voter approved Proposition E.
Officials in a series of videos show how the new drones have made a positive difference in the fight against crime.
Drones were used on July4 over the Mission District at 25th and Treat streets after reports of fireworks being launched and people doing donuts in the intersection. Officers then used the information it provided to mobilize a ground team of officers and break the gathering up.
The July 4 example is one of several San Francisco police Chief Bill Scott pointed out Tuesday as he looked to help the public understand the new tech his department has, and how they use it.
Scott also shared video of a July 27 incident of an SUV burglary in progress. The getaway car being used was detected as being stolen by the department's plate reader cameras.
"Our officers then spotted the vehicle, drone was put into play to track the vehicle, and we were then able to see them committing more crimes, and we were able to apprehend them," Scott said.
Officers used a spike strip to disable the car and ultimately made arrests.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said the video officers capture of these incidents and arrests is also key to filing charges and ultimately getting convictions.
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"As a trial lawyer, I tell you jurors in 2024 expect to see what happened," Jenkins said. "They don't just want to be told by a police officer what they saw or what their perspective is."
John Hamasaki, a defense attorney and former member of the police commission, said while the tech may seem great, using drones can raise come civil liberties concerns.
"An example of that would be the use of drones to monitor protests or other First Amendment activity," Hamasaki said.
Hamasaki did applaud the department's policy of purging any video from a large group event that the department monitors as part of a safety or surveillance operation.
Unlike many big cities in the United States, San Francisco has not had a helicopter support division of the police department for more than 20 years. The police chief said the drone program fills a very big need for the department.
Scott also said the new drone program is also safer and less expensive than other departments' helicopter divisions.
"You're not investing nearly as much in the equipment," he said. "You're talking about a few thousand dollars, if that. As opposed to seven figures or more for a helicopter."
SFPD has six drones and is planning on getting more.
