GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A proposal from the Grand Rapids Police Department is still up in the air.
On Tuesday, Chief Eric Winstrom presented to the Public Safety Committee and made the case for small, unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) to be added to the department’s store of equipment.
In other words, the police chief thinks the department should have drones.
“Just a short time ago, we revised the strategic plan and focusing our priorities of safety, innovation, and engagement. And what we want to do today is just talk about how sUAS can fall into those priorities, of course, providing additionally safety for our residents,” said Chief Winstrom.
Potential uses for the drones include search and rescue missions, evidence collections, crash reconstructions, large area searches, natural disaster responses, and critical incidents such as fleeing suspects and stolen vehicles.
Winstrom discussed one crash at Plainfield Avenue and Leonard Street, a well-traveled intersection on the city’s north side. He said it took three hours to process the scene because officers have to collect information manually. With the help of a drone, he said the scene could possibly be processed in an hour.
Last summer, a vehicle was stolen with a baby inside, and while the baby was found quickly, Chief Winstrom said this was another example of how drones could be essential.
“That car was ditched on a sunny, sunny summer day in a neighborhood. And we had to find that vehicle,” he said. “If we had the ability to put that camera up 200 feet, and we could look for a green sedan, a green sedan, it could have cut that time markedly and we could have saved the tragic situation, which fortunately, we were able to do as well.”
Plus, officials say having drones on hand would help with staffing limitations. If the department could view a scene from the sky, fewer officers would have to be dispatched, and those officers would have to stay on scene for less time.
“This puts officers back on the streets,” he said.
Officials believe the drone program could result in $12,000 in savings per year for GRPD. As far as costs go, officials estimate the program’s price tag at $100,000, with $20,000 for annual recurring expenses such as data storage, maintenance, and training.
Many police departments already have drone programs, the Chief pointed out, like the Kent County Sheriff's Office and the Michigan State Police, but also much smaller cities in the state. He wants to see Grand Rapids- which is the second largest municipal agency in the state- to follow suit.
“It’s great that the other agencies, smaller agencies have the ability to call on the bigger agencies. But to be honest, we are the bigger agency,” he said. “Moving forward into 2023, I think, in my opinion, it’s the right way to move forward.”
However, the proposal will have to be discussed further before the drones take to the sky. “We’re not coming here to ask for approval. This is the beginning of a conversation,” says Chief Winstrom. He went on to say he’s hoping to reach out to stakeholders and seek input from the public as the process unfolds.
On Tuesday, city leaders voted to move the proposal to a full meeting of the commissioners. The proposal will be discussed further at the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting on April 11.
A public hearing will also be scheduled before city leaders decide on anything.
