GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Police Department wants to hear feedback from community members as it considers buying Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS).
GRPD will host a community-wide informational meeting and listening session on Tuesday, June 6.
Office of Oversight and Public Accountability (OPA) Director Brandon Davis and GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom will give brief presentations on SUAS, also known as drones, before taking questions from the audience.
Their presentations will break down the role of OPA in oversight of the program and how the police department intends to protect privacy, ensure proper use of this equipment and use the technology to help support public safety.
“We wanted to go above and beyond the administrative outreach requirements to be clear with the community about the ways we plan to use, and not use, drone technology in support of public safety,” Chief Winstrom said.
The city’s Administrative Policy 15-03 on the acquisition and use of surveillance technology requires a public hearing before the purchase request.
That hearing was on April 25 at the commission’s regularly scheduled meeting.
READ MORE: Community members raise privacy concerns over GRPD’s proposed use of drones
Plus, Chief Winstrom and other members of GRPD have participated in several neighborhood association and community meetings, along with giving many presentations to city commissioners and the Public Safety Committee.
The June 6 meeting is at Lifequest Church on Fisk Road SE from 6 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
The city will livestream the meeting on its Facebook page and YouTube channels.
Community members can ask questions via Facebook comments on the livestream or in advance by emailing GRPDinfo@grcity.us.
The following resources are available for community members ahead of the meeting:
- April 11 Committee of the Whole briefing
- April 11 presentation to the Committee of the Whole (around 2:12 in recording)
- March 28 presentation to the Public Safety Committee (around 6:00 in recording)
