Update, Aug. 19: The Mobile City Council voted Tuesday to approve the $139,346 purchase order with Unmanned Vehicle Technologies, LLC (UVT) for the two camera-equipped drones. The measure passed unanimously among council members present; Councilman Ben Reynolds did not attend the meeting.
The vote came after several residents raised concerns about privacy and surveillance in the days leading up to the meeting. Councilwoman Gina Gregory said a constituent had contacted her asking that the council not approve the purchase, citing fears about spying and invasion of privacy. On the city’s public safety Facebook page, Mobile resident Brandon Rooney wrote that “‘Aerial Awareness’ is a really creative way to rephrase ‘drone surveillance,’” while resident Byron Overstreet compared the drones to Flock Safety license-plate reading cameras, which have drawn national scrutiny, writing, “This is supposed to be a free country, not a surveillance state.”
Gregory asked Executive Director of Public Safety Curtis Graves to respond to those concerns during the meeting. Graves said the city does not “purchase drones for anything for the purpose of spying on the public” and described the equipment as a way to add “a second layer of security” around parks, public spaces and large events such as Mardi Gras. He noted the Mobile Police Department has more than 500 officers but cannot be everywhere at once. Council President C.J. Small reiterated that the drones would also be used to follow suspects during police pursuits so officers can avoid sending multiple cruisers into high-speed chases. Gregory said she also supports the drones for helping city officials review building elevations during development projects.
Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis said the purchase builds on an aerial situational awareness program the city launched earlier this year to test drone technology at the Gulf Coast Technology Center, and that Mobile already operates drones for its fire department and rescue operations. “Drones have proven to be useful tools for agencies around the country, especially where big crowds are present,” Cheriogotis said. “With a number of events throughout our city that draw large crowds, it is imperative that we protect citizens and visitors any way we can. This is a cost-effective way to enhance what we’re already doing to help keep the public safe.”
Alongside the drone purchase, the council introduced a resolution for a $695,000 annual service contract with Protec Video, LLC to handle deployment, management, training and consulting services at the Gulf Coast Technology Center. UVT, the drone vendor, is one of the largest drone and robotics dealers in North America, providing equipment to law enforcement agencies, utilities and construction companies. The company was founded 12 years ago in Arkansas by Christopher Fink and, as of this past May, operates in 13 states.
MOBILE, Ala. — Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis says drones can help keep people safe during Mardi Gras, improve park security and assist police during pursuits — and the city council is now weighing a contract to expand its fleet.
The council on Tuesday considered a $139,346 contract with Unmanned Vehicle Technologies for two drones, a drone-mounted floodlight, two cameras and other equipment, with a vote expected as soon as next week. The new drones would supplement the Fotokite tethered drones the city already operates and would be based at the Gulf Coast Technology Center. “I like these tethered drones because they, you know, you don’t lose ’em,” Cheriogotis said. “They are very effective, and we’re not trying to be secretive about using drones. We’re not going to be invading people’s privacy.”
Cheriogotis said the drones would be an asset for the state high school football championships being held in Mobile this year, as well as annual events like Mardi Gras and the Senior Bowl, and pointed to Tuscaloosa’s investment in drone technology as a model for expanding Mobile’s fleet next fiscal year. Public safety officials said the equipment is also expected to help with park security; a sign at Herndon-Sage Park, site of a fatal shooting last year, already advertises the coverage. Citronelle residents Taylor Roebuck and Ashley Tabone, visiting Medal of Honor Park, said the idea gives them peace of mind, with Tabone saying drones could help “keep the drug activity down.”
Beyond large events, Cheriogotis said he sees potential public safety uses for the drones during high-speed chases. “It’s not gonna be our policy if you run to just let you go. That’s how really bad things happen,” he said. “But if we can do it in a safer way, if we can take those people into custody in a way that puts our citizens at less danger, I’m very interested in it.” Public Safety Director Curtis Graves reiterated that the drones are meant to be a visible presence rather than a covert one: “These drones will be a highly visible, I hope, deterrent for crime,” Cheriogotis said. “We might put flashing lights on them so people know that they’re there.”