Follow-Up: St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners Approves Drone First Responder Program Policies 4-1 on November 4 in Missouri
The St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners voted 4-1 on November 4 to approve operating policies for the Metropolitan Police Department's Drone as First Responder program, clearing the way for a gradual rollout, with Mayor Cara Spencer casting the only no vote. Under the approval, the department's Special Order 5-35 took effect November 4, establishing procedures for the Aerial Response Unit and its use of remotely operated drones.
The department said initial operations will be limited to north and central St. Louis while preparations continue for coverage in the southern part of the city. Test flights and drone responses to selected 911 calls could begin as early as the afternoon of November 4. Under the drone-as-first-responder model, a drone is dispatched to an emergency scene first to stream live video, helping police assess the situation and decide the scale and priority of the officer response.
The policy vote is the key step in getting the program off the ground. The police board had already approved the purchase of six BRINC drones in May, on the condition that operating policies be approved before any drone flew; under the plan previously announced, those policies were scheduled to go before the board on November 4. The department stressed that the November 4 approval authorizes the program to proceed but does not mean routine drone responses are fully under way; operations will be phased in.
Drone first responder programs have been piloted in a number of U.S. cities. Supporters say they shorten the time police need to understand a scene and improve dispatch efficiency, while critics focus on privacy and flight safety. St. Louis police said the program will operate under the procedures set out in Special Order 5-35, with details available in the department's published program information.
(Source: St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department)
Source: St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：圣路易斯市政厅（GSM 固定图库）。 / Photo: St. Louis City Hall (GSM image library).
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- 2026-11-04Follow-Up: St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners Approves Drone First Responder Program Policies 4-1 on November 4 in MissouriThis story
