The Albuquerque Police Department’s new drone surveillance program has assisted in four arrests during its first month of operation, but civil liberties advocates are raising concerns about privacy protections and community input in the program’s deployment.
The program, which launched in August, has conducted more than 200 flights using drones housed in strategically placed “hives” on rooftops and city facilities throughout Albuquerque. The unmanned aircraft can deploy within 90 seconds to respond to emergency calls, according to Police Chief Harold Medina and Mayor Tim Keller.
“This program represents a huge leap forward for public safety in Albuquerque,” Keller said during an announcement last week. “We are embracing innovation to give our officers the tools they need to fight crime more effectively, while also helping keep them and our community safe.”
The drones provide real-time intelligence to officers by capturing photographic and video evidence, assessing potential threats and identifying weapons or multiple suspects before officers arrive on scene, officials said.
However, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico is calling for greater community oversight of the surveillance technology.
“As surveillance technology advances and becomes more widely adopted by law enforcement, it’s essential that agencies carefully weigh the potential for inappropriate intrusion into the privacy of everyday New Mexicans against the possible advantages such systems provide,” said Daniel Williams, policy advocate at the ACLU of New Mexico.
“Crucially, communities deserve a voice in decisions about what technologies will be used to surveil them,” Williams added. “Before adopting future mass surveillance technologies, we urge APD and all law enforcement agencies in the state to undertake a meaningful process that allows the community can understand and comment on the potential benefits and harms and how their privacy and civil liberties will be protected.”
In one recent case at Pat Hurley Park, a drone provided real-time tracking after suspects fled following an aggravated assault in which a victim reported having a rifle pointed at her head, according to the police department. Officers were able to safely apprehend the suspects and recover the weapon, while the drone captured video evidence of the suspects discarding items and attempting to change their appearance while fleeing.
The department currently operates six drone hives with 10 drones, not including additional drones used by officers in the field and specialized units, Medina said. The drones are equipped with collision control systems and will automatically respond to ShotSpotter activations when shots are fired.
“Our department has fully embraced technology as a force multiplier in the fight against crime,” Medina said. “The drone program is a game-changer that takes us to a new level of crime fighting and community protection.”
The police department already has access to more than 15,000 cameras across Albuquerque and is integrating the drones as another tool to improve investigations and response times, officials said.
The city has not yet detailed specific privacy protections or community oversight mechanisms for the drone program and APD did not respond to an email asking what policies are in place to alleviate privacy concerns.