Minneapolis studies 'drones as first responders' program
The Minneapolis City Council directed staff to study a "Drones as First Responders" public-safety program, Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw said. (Drones as First Responders program) (Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw).
The legislative directive orders staff to analyze which 911 call types drones could answer, compare drone deployment times to traditional responders, and explore uses such as illegal dumping and fast-moving property-damage crimes. The review must examine other cities' drone-first models and ensure any plan aligns with Minneapolis' commitments to privacy, transparency and civil liberties. City officials noted Minnetonka's program is expected to cost about $265,000 per year and said cross-department use could help share costs. The Office of Community Safety previously paused drone exploration over cost and staffing concerns, and any new program would need full council approval after committee review.
The episode traces back to years of turmoil after the murder of George Floyd, which triggered protests and mass officer departures and left the Minneapolis Police Department short-staffed. MPD proposed acquiring drones in August 2022 for search and rescue, scene assessment and reconstruction, but a policy draft faced pushback over surveillance risks and a 2022 state human rights report. Statewide, law enforcement flew more than 4,300 warrantless drone flights in 2023, and nearby Minnetonka launched Minnesota's first Drones as First Responders program in August 2025. Minneapolis' Emergency Communications Center handles roughly 580,000 to 600,000 calls per year as of 2023, and average Priority 1 response time rose from about 6 minutes in 2020 to 8 minutes, 29 seconds in 2025.
Supporters argue drones could reach scenes faster and clear some calls without officer dispatch. Critics, including many social media commenters, say drones cannot perform medical aid at life-or-death scenes, raise Big Brother-style surveillance fears, and prompt questions about funding priorities.
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📊 Relevant Data
Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center handles approximately 580,000 to 600,000 emergency and non-emergency calls per year. ([City of Minneapolis](https://stories.opengov.com/minneapolismn/published/WFufYi9bUru)) ([City of Minneapolis](https://stories.opengov.com/minneapolismn/published/WFufYi9bUru)) ([City of Minneapolis](https://stories.opengov.com/minneapolismn/published/WFufYi9bUru)) ([City of Minneapolis](https://stories.opengov.com/minneapolismn/published/WFufYi9bUru)) ([City of Minneapolis](https://stories.opengov.com/minneapolismn/published/WFufYi9bUru))
911 - Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center — City of Minneapolis
The average response time for Priority 1 emergency calls in Minneapolis increased from about 6 minutes in 2020 to 8 minutes and 29 seconds in 2025. ([Minneapolis Times](https://minneapolistimes.com/mpd-staffing-crisis-takes-a-toll-slowed-911-response-and-plunging-clearance-rates)) ([Minneapolis Times](https://minneapolistimes.com/mpd-staffing-crisis-takes-a-toll-slowed-911-response-and-plunging-clearance-rates)) ([Minneapolis Times](https://minneapolistimes.com/mpd-staffing-crisis-takes-a-toll-slowed-911-response-and-plunging-clearance-rates)) ([Minneapolis Times](https://minneapolistimes.com/mpd-staffing-crisis-takes-a-toll-slowed-911-response-and-plunging-clearance-rates)) ([Minneapolis Times](https://minneapolistimes.com/mpd-staffing-crisis-takes-a-toll-slowed-911-response-and-plunging-clearance-rates))
MPD Staffing Crisis Takes a Toll: Slowed 911 Response and Plunging Clearance Rates — Minneapolis Times
In Chula Vista's Drone as First Responder program, drones can respond to incidents within about 1.5 minutes and have been used in over 10,000 calls since 2018, often clearing incidents without needing officer deployment. ([DroneXL](https://dronexl.co/2024/06/05/chula-vista-police-drone-program-pros-cons)) ([DroneXL](https://dronexl.co/2024/06/05/chula-vista-police-drone-program-pros-cons)) ([DroneXL](https://dronexl.co/2024/06/05/chula-vista-police-drone-program-pros-cons)) ([DroneXL](https://dronexl.co/2024/06/05/chula-vista-police-drone-program-pros-cons)) ([DroneXL](https://dronexl.co/2024/06/05/chula-vista-police-drone-program-pros-cons))
Chula Vista's Police Drone Program: A Closer Look At The Pros And Cons — DroneXL
Police drone programs must address privacy concerns, including developing policies on data retention, public transparency, and community engagement to build trust, as outlined in federal guidelines. ([U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services](https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0894-pub.pdf)) ([U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services](https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0894-pub.pdf)) ([U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services](https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0894-pub.pdf)) ([U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services](https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0894-pub.pdf)) ([U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services](https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0894-pub.pdf))
A Report on the Use of Drones by Public Safety Agencies — U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
📌 Key Facts
- A Minneapolis City Council legislative directive, introduced by Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, orders staff to study a 'Drones as First Responders' public-safety program.
- Staff must analyze which 911 call types drones could respond to, deployment times versus traditional responders, and uses such as illegal dumping and quick-moving property-damage crimes.
- The directive requires review of how other cities use drone-first programs and mandates alignment with Minneapolis’ commitments to privacy, transparency, and civil liberties.
- Minnetonka’s similar program is expected to cost about $265,000 per year; Minneapolis officials say using drones across multiple departments could help share costs.
- The Office of Community Safety previously paused drone exploration over cost and staffing concerns; any new program will need full City Council approval after committee review.
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