Drone policing is working. Now let’s invest in more.

Last year, City Council appropriated $2 million to purchase drone technology to support the Philadelphia Police Department in fighting crime. A year later, one thing is clear: They are working.

It is no secret I was a huge advocate for the use of drone technology aimed at fighting crime during my campaign for City Council at-large — through a plan entitled “Drone Force Philly” — but please don’t just take my word for it.

Last Thanksgiving, drones were used in the successful recovery of a disabled child who had wandered away from a parent during the parade. Losing a child amid tens of thousands of people can be an instant nightmare, but the use of this technology allowed for a safe reunion in minutes.

The city needs more pilots, and the department plans to purchase an additional 18 drones to support the force. In my opinion, the city should triple that — to save lives and improve our quality of life.

In San Francisco, the city council passed the use of drones through the Real Time Investigation Center. As a result, drones have led to over 500 arrests. Crime has dropped 28% in that city since the drone program was implemented in March 2024.

In Philadelphia, Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel stated the city is lagging far behind in establishing the momentum necessary to graduate enough students monthly from the police academy to meet labor needs to address all our serious problems. Drones will play an integral part in helping to enhance the police department’s capabilities. Drones assist law enforcement; they don’t replace it.

Drone use should also be expanded beyond violent crime to combat nonviolent crimes like illegal dumping that threaten our environment and neighborhoods.

On March 21, Tacony Creek saw an incident with serious environmental impact when someone illegally dumped over 4,000 tires into the park. Residents in the neighborhood stated that people routinely dump furniture and other trash there. Illegal dumping is a serious problem with an easy solution: Use drones to patrol the areas where people dump, collect data, and punish them accordingly.

The city receives upwards of 40,000 complaints of illegal dumping per year, and the city spends $2 million to address, deter, and clean. The city can purchase drone technology for a fraction of that cost and can help catch bad actors, deter others, and collect revenue from their activity.

Drone technology is the genesis for a new direction of governance in the city. This technology is the first step in ensuring Philadelphia becomes a first-class city in the 21st century. Embracing this future means embracing existing programs in the city that prepare our residents for the economy of today.

Today, Bartram High School trains students and allows them to earn Federal Aviation Administration credits. Certified drone pilots are paid an average of $80 hourly. This program can be expanded and used to fuel a pipeline of talent to staff various agencies, not only the police department, but also the Department of Licenses and Inspections, for example.

Additionally, drones have been used in other nations, in combination with artificial intelligence, to safely combat and extinguish fires.

The city must think bigger. Let’s embrace the future. I am proud of the discourse “Drone Force Philly” created in the last City Council campaign cycle, but our reluctance to be “all in” will only deter meaningful progress. The sooner Philadelphia embraces the economic and social benefits technology can provide, the safer and cleaner a city we will be.

Jalon Alexander is a public-minded cybersecurity attorney in Philadelphia.