DENVER — As more Colorado police departments adopt the use of drones as a first responder tool, some community groups are raising concerns about privacy and equity.
Earlier this year, the Denver Police Department announced the launch of its drone program, while the Castle Rock Police Department announced plans to expand its drone program the previous summer.
“With Flock and other surveillance mechanisms, they do have a benefit for the community," said Dr. Robert Davis, project coordinator for the Denver Task Force to Reimagine Policing and Public Safety. "We think that the over-surveillance of the community ultimately is a negative."
According to Davis, these concerns are similar to ones the task force raised regarding Denver’s use of ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, and Flock cameras, license plate readers. He is concerned about what data the drones will gather and share.
“As we saw with Flock, and as we've seen with other cities around the country that use the surveillance models and the surveillance tools, it primarily targets our unhoused communities, our Black communities and our immigrant communities. And so yes, there is a huge equity issue there,” Davis told Denver7. “Initially, like with the Flock, the sell is that the information is used to help retrieve people's stolen cars, and with the drones, it is used to help provide first responder assistance. But we also know that this information is being shared with both federal and other police departments across the country, we know this information is being used to patrol and to keep tabs on communities and individuals.”
Davis said community members should decide if law enforcement agencies should use technology like drones to conduct first responder tasks. He said if communities want to use the technology, residents should have a hand in crafting guidelines and guardrails.
