St. Pete Police Drones: Safer Streets & Faster Justice

0:00It's April 29th. This is Tampa Bay News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. St. Petersburg police are leveling up their game with drones, making responses safer and smarter. They've got 11 drones and 37 trained officer pilots right now. These art replacing boots on the ground, but their key tools for real-time intel on high priority calls, like felonies or missing kids and seniors. The program kicked off back in 2019 for SWAT ops and traffic crashes, then exploded after the 2024 hurricanes when roads were blocked. Officers launched single-deployed drones straight from patrol cars or bigger ones from remote hives that fly up to three miles out. Chief Anthony Holloway says, it beats waiting in traffic drones arrive in minutes, feeding live videos so cops know the scene before stepping in. It cuts response times from 10 to 15 minutes down, fast reassuring victims they're covered. A big upgrade comes from the real-time intelligence center, where remote pilots take over drone

1:02controls. This freeze officers for actual policing, boosting efficiency from call intake to courtroom evidence. Looking ahead, they'll add four more hives across the city over the next two years, solidifying drones as a game changer for safer streets and quicker.