The NYPD has more eyes in the sky — thanks to a new high-tech drone force that officials say have already paid dividends in the five boroughs.
City Hall revealed the crime fighting initiative on Wednesday that has enabled the police department to broaden its patrol from the skies above Gotham.
“I’m a big believer in technology,” Mayor Eric Adams told reporters as he announced the NYPD’s “Drones as First Responders” program at Central Park on Wednesday.
“New York City is flying into the future to keep New Yorkers safe,” Adams said. “Drones are proven technology, and as I explained, the benefits are not theoretical. They are clearly part of our law enforcement aparatus now.”
The mayor listed off some of the drones’ accomplishments to date — they conducted searches from the sky when a parking garage collapsed in Manhattan in April, and allowed cops to spot and rescue a 4-year-old girl left dangling from a Bronx apartment building in October.
The 10 drones, which are equipped with thermal sensors, have been deployed in pairs to three Brooklyn precincts, one Bronx precinct and the department’s Central Park command.
“These drones will mean more efficient policing and will help increase our ability to make arrests before suspects flee or to bring a condition under control,” Adams said. “Most importantly, they will help increase the safety of the responding officers. It alleviates if not eradicates those responding officers walking into a surprise situation.”
City officials traveled to California to research the high-flying patrols, and said the NYPD has used them in some capacity for the past six years — and have been deployed more than 2,300 times since June.
“This is the future of law enforcement, and today that future is happening right now, right here in New York City,” Interim Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon said. “The city will move forward and benefit from this program, and [for] that we will salute the men and woman who make it happen.”
The drone initiative is one of two law enforcement announcements made Wednesday.
City officials announced that 66 more cops will be added to the 109th Precinct command covering College Point, Flushing and Whitestone, an effort to improve response time over a vast area.
“This is why I always say that public safety is a shared responsibility — the community spoke, and we listened,” Adams said in a statement. “By adding these 66 officers, creating a new base, and assigning extra personnel, we’re tackling response times head-on and ensuring that the NYPD can meet the unique demands of this sprawling precinct.”
The new deployment — consisting of 54 officers and 12 supervisors — will work out of the NYPD Police Academy, therefore not requiring new space at taxpayer expense.
The move came out of a meeting last year between city officials and the “We Love Whitestone” community group, which focused on slow 911 response times within the 109.
“This launch isn’t just about response times; it’s about reinforcing our commitment to safety in every corner of Queens,” Adams said. “With these additional 66 officers, we’re not only improving response times but showing that when the community speaks, we act.”
