Dallas police hope to fight random gunfire with drone technology
DALLAS - The Dallas Police Department is working to crack down on random gunfire in the city with the use of drones.
What we know:
DPD said it plans to use drones connected to other cameras and license plate readers in the city to provide a rapid response to calls about random gunfire. That response can be in as little as 30 seconds to two minutes.
The department shared a video with city leaders on Monday to demonstrate the concept.
When the city’s gunfire detection system senses gunshots, dispatchers can then launch a drone that can provide real-time information about the scene to a responding officer.
The goal is for the gunfire detection system, drones, and cameras with license plate readers to all be integrated. That would allow police to track any vehicle that may be associated with the gunfire and then make an arrest.
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What they're saying:
Dallas City Council members said they support the police department’s plan.
"Random gunfire is an issue in D10. I heard random gunfire Sunday morning along Adelia and Walnut Hill. I should have reported it. Once we have drones, I will do that. Until then, it feels like we don't have officers who can get there soon enough," said Councilwoman Kathy Stewart.
The city already has a gunfire detection system and drones. But they aren’t yet integrated.
"We need it to be able to all work together," said Major Yancey Nelson with DPD.
Dig deeper:
Stats show DPD is getting the most reports of random gunfire within District 4, which includes parts of Oak Cliff and South Dallas.
The department plans to roll out billboards in that area advertising the crackdown.
"I hope you go strong," said Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn. "The billboard needs to tell people to stop. It is terrorizing people. Unacceptable."
What's next:
Dallas police don’t yet have an estimate of when the new system will be in place.
They are still working to obtain the technology that allows the city’s drones, gunfire detection system, and license plate readers to all work together.
The Source: The information in this story comes from comments made during Monday's Dallas Public Safety Committee meeting.