Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes the Madison Police Department (MPD) to apply for and accept, if awarded, a two-year US Department of Justice (USDOJ) Office of Community Policing Services (COPS Office) Community Policing Development Micrgrant of $200,000. The grant funds a pilot program of using a drone as a first responder, subject to the limitations of MPD's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Funding from the grant would be used for leasing and housing a drone as a first responder (DFR) system ($150,000) and overtime for the operators to provide DFR service ($50,000). No City appropriation is required.
Title
Amending the 2026 Police Department operating budget; and authorizing the Mayor and Chief of Police to apply for and accept a USDOJ Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Community Policing Development Microgrant for $200,000 to pilot a drone as first responder program to evaluate its effectiveness as a useful first responder tool that satisfies community needs while also concurrently evaluating its utility for our officers, supervisors, and police administrators
Body
WHEREAS, the Madison Police Department pursues innovative initiatives to better serve its mission to provide high quality police services that are accessible to all members of the community, believing in the dignity of all people and respecting individual and constitutional rights and seeks to secure non-tax levy funding to do so; and
WHEREAS, the Department seeks to implement a drone as first responder (DFR) pilot project in the West District to evaluate its effectiveness as a useful first responder tool that satisfies community needs while also concurrently evaluating its utility for our officers, supervisors, and police administrators through a U.S. Departments of Justice Office of Community Policing Services (COPS Office) Community Policing Development Microgrant; and
WHEREAS, the Department will also assess whether it can supp...
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