Nothing To See Here

A running, sourced timeline of how license-plate readers, body cams and AI policing tools are actually going — and what the failures cost taxpayers.

Timeline / entry

· Wheaton, MD

Montgomery County police pitch $350,000 Drone as First Responder pilot to Wheaton residents

Montgomery County, Maryland police requested $350,000 for a “Drone as First Responder” pilot program to send drones to certain 911 calls. At a September 12, 2023 community meeting in Wheaton, Capt. Jason Cokinos said the department faces a staffing crisis and needs technology to improve response times. Drones would be placed in Wheaton and Silver Spring, each covering up to a 3-mile radius, with pilots in Rockville. The department already has FAA permission to search for missing people and will seek permission to operate at 400 feet. Cokinos said drones will not use facial recognition or audio intercepts. Council member Natali Fani-González supports the program, citing a crime crisis in Wheaton.

$350,000Contract spendreportednot on THE TABProposed cost to start pilot program, as reported by WTOP.

Sources

  1. Montgomery Co. police makes case for drone first responders to Wheaton residents — WTOP News, Sep 13, 2023 (wtop.com)

Something wrong? Send a correction — cite a source and we'll fix it and note the change.