Bensalem Township Police are adding a new weapon to their crime fighting arsenal, the Drone as First Responder Program (DFR).
Public Safety Director William McVey, and Sergeant Glenn Vandegrift discussed the “innovative program” on “The Mayor’s Show.” Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo explained how the new crime fighting tool will enhance other proactive community safety measures.
Their DFR program allows drones to respond to incidents soon after a 9-1-1 call is received, enabling drone pilots to reach the scene quickly and provide real-time intelligence for patrol officers responding to the call.
Last month, Bensalem Police announced they expanded the drone program with 12 new pilots completing training.
“We now have 22 pilots. That’s almost a quarter of our police department are trained to be pilot drones,” Vandegrift said.
“This rapid-response capability is a true game-changer. It will assist all public safety operations, help us improve decision-making, increase efficiency, and enhance safety for both our officers and the community. This program is made possible through strong partnerships, advanced technology, and our continued commitment to innovation in public safety.,” McVey said.
Bensalem Police in recent years have leveraged other digital technological advances, such as License Plate Readers (LPPR’s) which has led to a myriad of felony arrests.
“We would like to thank Mayor DiGirolamo and the Bensalem Township Council for their continued support of innovative programs. We would also like to recognize State Representative KC Tomlinson for her efforts in assisting us in securing state funding, which helped implement this program,” said public safety officials.
Recent Comments