Robbinsdale Police Drone Program Moves Ahead
The city of Robbinsdale moved ahead with a police department drone program on April 18.
The policy allows members of the Robbinsdale Police Department to utilize drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, to “enhance the department’s mission of protecting lives and property when other means and resources are not available or are less effective,” according to policy manual.
The policy gave rise privacy concerns among some members of the council and public.
“I think the community is aware that it could be beneficial but I think the pushback is about privacy, about the overuse and misuse,” said Robbinsdale City Council Member Sheila Webb.
Allowable uses
The policy allows for drones to be utilized in lifesaving missions, such as hostage situations.
Warrant searches, natural disasters, terrorist attacks and car crash analysis are also eligible for drone use.
Under state statute, drones cannot be used for random surveillance activities.
Likewise, drones cannot be used to harass and discriminate against any individual or group.
However, through the new program, police may use drones to conduct threat assessment in anticipation of an event or to collect information from public areas when there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity without a search warrant.
Crystal police demonstrate use of a drone.
Privacy concerns with the police drone program
Some residents asked the city to narrow the uses for police drones.
“I’m concerned about warrantless use,” resident Jane Montemayor said. “Public safety is clearly an issue but I think that there are other ways to accomplish that that are more in line with making sure that people have a very positive relationship with police in the city of Robbinsdale, that they are seen instead of sort of flying overhead.”
Robbinsdale City Council Member Aaron Wagner spoke against the policy.
“For me, growing up as a kid, Sept. 11, after that there’s just this huge acceleration of the erosion of the Fourth Amendment,” Wagner said. “So I think this is a drop in the bucket, this is small, but I have a little bit of say in this so I wanted to take that opportunity to just kind of, we have an opportunity to maybe push back on that trend of continued surveillance, continued paranoia.”
Program moves ahead
According to Robbinsdale City Manager Tim Sandvik, per Minnesota statute, “does not authorize council to approve the policy — we’re asking that you accept the policy, not set the policy. (City) staff has gone through with the attorneys to set current policy.”
As a result, the city did not hosting a formal public hearing or council vote on the policy.
“Taking public comment tonight really is the council’s final role in this process,” Sandvik said. “(City) staff is happy to bring this back at any time (for) any language updates.”
That said, Robbinsdale City Council Member Regan Murphy said he was comfortable seeing city staff members move ahead with the policy.
“I do support this as it’s written, but I will add it doesn’t mean that it can’t be changed or altered,” he said. “But I feel like there’s enough safeguards in here to allow the program to start.”
Mayor Bill Blonigan offered skeptical support for the policy.
“I think the policy is good enough for me to start here,” he said. “It remains to be seen whether there are enough safeguards.”
