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

· Syracuse, NY

Syracuse Common Council withdraws drone funding items from agenda

The Syracuse Common Council withdrew three drone-related expenditures from its agenda on March 19, 2025, after the police department failed to provide a governing policy. The items included two Axon contract renewals for software on existing SWAT drones and a new drone-as-first-responder program with Axon. Councilors said the department did not answer detailed questions during a Public Safety Committee meeting. The council previously approved $250,000 in November for the drone program. The council removed the items without voting, citing a lack of transparency and information.

$250,000Contract spendreportednot on THE TABApproved in November for a drone-as-first-responder program; items withdrawn from agenda on March 19, 2025.

Sources

  1. Lawmakers push back on SPD's unpopular drone proposal — Central Current, Mar 19, 2025 (centralcurrent.org)

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