Hawthorne, Los Angeles, will introduce a drone enforcement program by the end of this year. When a 911 call is made, the first responder to arrive on the scene will be a drone. If there are no injuries or potential dangers, police officers will not be dispatched.
It is reported that Hawthorne is collaborating with BRINC, a Seattle-based company, to establish a drone emergency response system integrated with the city’s 911 operations.
These drones are no longer operated by the police but are deployed from “nests” set up by BRINC in various locations, arriving at the scene before the police.
Blake Resnick, founder and CEO of BRINC, stated that the drone response system aims to reach the scene within 70 seconds and can use its camera to provide responders with a better understanding of the situation. “This is the world’s first drone specifically designed for 911 responses. They will use it to respond to all 911 calls: police, fire, emergency, and more.”
Resnick mentioned that an early version of the system was used in Chula Vista, near San Diego, which was able to identify non-emergency situations or resolve issues before the police arrived, thus canceling 25% of 911 calls and allowing police to be dispatched to more critical incidents.
“For example, if there is a report of a suspicious person near my home, the drone arrives at the scene and finds that the suspect has already left or there is no suspicious activity, the police will not dispatch officers,” Resnick explained. “Or if there is a report of an obstruction on the road, the drone arrives and finds that the obstruction has been removed, no police will be dispatched either. These situations occur in about one-fourth of the drone system’s responses.”
The cost of the drone system ranges from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the number of drones and the size and geographical location of the surrounding area. Dispatchers can also use drones to deliver life-saving medications or tools to patients in danger, and fire departments can use them to scout burning buildings.
“Providing naloxone, defibrillators (AED), EpiPens, life rings… it is crucial for firefighters to have thermal imaging of fire scenes,” Resnick said. “Thermal imaging can also easily identify people who may be lost in forest environments.”
