Should Savage Police Use Drones?

From my perspective, there is not an easy answer here. Drones are a tool and like any tool, they can be used properly or improperly. Hammers are used to build houses. They are unfortunately also used to kill people. While I can clearly see the benefit in a missing persons situation or similar, there is also opportunity for misuse. The best way to prevent governmental misuse is transparency. Some ideas around that:
- Could there be a web site that GPS tracks the drones in realtime so the public can see where it is at all times? Obviously, if you are tracking a criminal that is an issue.
- Could there be a public "mission log" that shows when the drones were up and what they were doing (search for missing person, surveillance of 4th of July event, etc.. While realtime would be better, this could be delayed, at least when it is in support of criminal investigation, to avoid letting the criminals know.

Some questions:
- The law says the drones can be used for large public gatherings. What is the definition of that and who gets to make the call if there is judgement involved? If someone calls and said there were 6 suspicious looking teenagers in their neighborhood. Is a drone going to start surveilling them? Ball games at the park? Is there due process to get a warrant? The chief of police can decide? A random patrol officer can decide?
- The law says you have to delete the footage after 7 days unless it is part of a crime. What about derivative analysis? What if you do facial recognition and geolocation and turn the raw footage into a log of someone's movements. Is that legal? Would that data have to be expunged?
- What is the cost / benefit analysis on this purchase? How often have you requested drones from other departments? How often were they not available? How often did you want them but didn't request them because you knew it wouldn't be available in time? If they were available, what was the cost?
- If you bought drones, what percentage of the time would they be airborne? How long do they last? How often will they need to be replaced?
- What sensors do they have? Video cameras obviously. Thermal imaging? Audio? Other?

I want the Police to have the tools to protect the public safety, but I fear misuse, often with good intentions, but we know where that road leads.

A police force needs to have as many tools as possible to do their best job to protect and Sevve the residents of Savage. The use of drones is just another tool, similar to k-9 patrols, or radar guns, or leagal wire taping. If there is an issue, it often not the tool that is at fault but rather the human operator.
Go for it but see if there might be a local sponsor. The Burnsville Lions Club has donated thousands of $$ to Savage for needed services, Maybe we can name the new Savage Drone Force, the Savage Lion’s Drone Force.

As of now, I have no concerns. The problem arises when/if the police department becomes part of a larger government crackdown. If they start assisting ICE or agencies like that. Can there be safeguards put into place so that does not happen?

I really like the idea of the Police Department exploring the use of drones in order to keep officers safer and also provide an advantage in difficult situations. However, I have some serious privacy concerns. The wording laid out seems quite vague, specifically the line “keeping our communities safer over all”. I would like to see a more well defined list of exactly when drones can be used without the vague wording. I would also feel much more comfortable if the process of data destruction was laid out in more detail to ensure resident privacy. Overall I would be on board and think it is a great idea for keeping officers safe but I would like the use cases more well defined.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback. The potential uses for drones in emergency situations, such as search and rescue, are compelling and I support tools that genuinely enhance public safety in such critical moments.

However, I believe the conversation about acquiring the technology must be preceded by a conversation about governing it. The state statute is a starting point, but our community needs its own clear rules to ensure this powerful technology is used responsibly and does not undermine the public trust.

My primary concern is that without a specific Savage ordinance, the use of drones will feel opaque and intimidating to residents. People need to feel secure in their own homes and backyards, not wonder if they are under surveillance. Furthermore, the promise of deleted data means little if it can be freely shared with other agencies, a practice that could exacerbate fear and distrust among immigrant communities and communities of color.

I urge the city to pause the purchase and first establish a transparent framework that includes public accountability logs, clear data-sharing prohibitions, and community oversight. Building trust through transparency is the best way to ensure any new tool truly serves and protects all of Savage.

I am in full support of purchasing drones.?The bad guys are using them why not the good guys for the safety of the community.

According to the Brookings Institute, some drone policies for police include loopholes that may make it relatively easy for police to justify wider drone use. It specifically cites the Minnesota law. “The Minnesota law, for example, permits police to use drones to collect data in public areas if ‘there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity,’ an exemption at risk of being broadly applied.”

The presence of drones as a means of aerial surveillance will have a “chilling effect” on the public, preventing people from exercising their legitimate right to peaceful protest.

I’d say that if the Savage Police Dept gets drones, they should have to report out their use of drones annually to the public. The police drones should also be easy for the public to identify. They should also make the public aware of the drone make, model, capabilities, and detailed regulations that the Savage police will follow, approved and reviewed annually by the city council.

I understand the use of drones for search and rescue.

I think they could be of use, but worry about privacy. Our department is small so that is a VERY small concern as long as they aren't used outside of the police department.

The main concerns are if they become city hall use vs police use.

I do see drones as a helpful public safety tool but only under VERY specific scenarios

Yes, this is a great tool to use. Frankly I thought Savage would already have them. I support them when used for the life-threatening emergencies, searching for missing people, serious crash scenes, natural disasters, and keeping an eye on large public gatherings. And if the footage is not needed it's deleted.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Seems like a good idea.

Absolutely.

I am supportive of using drones, especially because the funding will not use taxpayer dollars.

Yes, the police department should be able to use drones. The safety of the community is too important and technology is a vital way to help.

Definitely a good thing to see our city catching up to many of our surrounding communities. Drones are excellent tools for law enforcement and public safety officials to use. When used properly they allow our public servants to carry out their responsibilities from a safe location, provide valuable reconnaisance, and help our command centers make better decisions. Like any good tool, the danger of it being used improperly also exists, but I believe our officers are trustworthy and that there are good checks and balances in place to curtail improper use. In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the risks. I also believe that the drones won't be used as often as some might think, but when the need arises it would be good to have them available.

Drones provide a low cost and fast way to detect, investigate, and prevent crime. The potential for misuse exists, however our police force has a demonstrated track record of making ethical decisions. With the appropriate training I feel this would be an excellent addition to our cities safety.

Definitely! Drones can save lives and protect police officers!

Yes. It’s either drones or a helicopter. And Savage isn’t large enough for a helicopter.