Drone program ‘limited’ in current capacity

Officers utilized devices at least 59 times since program first launched

A new report has recommended that Hamilton police consider expanding its drone program despite a city councillor’s concerns regarding community surveillance.

The police offered an update on their remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) program, which began back in 2020, during a police services board meeting on Thursday.

The report comes after weeks of reporting from CBC Hamilton, which shone a light on privacy issues surrounding the program from researchers, community groups as well as the Ontario New Democrats and the province’s former privacy commissioner.

While those concerns weren’t spoken to during the brief update given by deputy chief Paul Hamilton, at least one board member came out against certain usages of the technology.

Coun. Cameron Kroetsch told the board that while he understands “the value” of the drones when it comes to certain situations and investigations, he raised concerns on their use in surveilling residents, including those attending events.

Hamilton told the board that officers use their drone fleet for search and rescue, collision reconstruction, criminal investigations, critical incidents and large-scale events.

Those events included a homecoming party at McMaster University last fall, as previously reported by The Spectator.

“I just don’t support that,” said Kroetsch. “Being surveilled by drones is a very different kind of activity. It’s not one that I would say the average person is prepared for or understands the nature of.”

Kroetsch said community members have described the experience of being surveilled by police drones at large events as “unsettling,” noting that many residents “aren’t really sure what their rights are.”

Police offer insight into drone usage

Hamilton told the board that since the program was launched, the force has used its drones 59 times — with 24 of those deployments relating to collision reconstruction, which accounts for 40 per cent of their use as of May 15.

Criminal investigations accounted for 20 per cent of their use, while search and rescue represented 17 per cent of their deployments, according to the report.

Hamilton said the deployment of a drone has to be approved at the command level and all deployments are required to follow both privacy and freedom-of-information laws.

“All of our deployments are reviewed by the inspector of community safety to ensure they are compliant,” said Hamilton.

According to the report, the public is informed when a drone will be flying in the areas during “nonexigent circumstances,” and the amount of personal information that is collected and retained by the devices is limited.

The public was most recently informed about the use of a police drone on May 23, as officers investigated a serious collision on the Lincoln Alexander Parkway.

Coun. Esther Pauls offered her support for the program, calling it a technology “that we need,” noting that as more residents are made aware of it, “they’ll realize how important this tool is for the police to have.”

The report also noted that the force has never considered arming its drones or using facial recognition software within the program.

Drone program ‘limited’ as is, police say

According to the report, which was prepared by Sgt. Fab Giuliani, the force’s drone program is “limited in its flight capabilities in poor weather and duration of deployments.”

While the program includes four drones and 11 trained members, police have had partnerships with the Hamilton Fire Department and Mohawk College in order to access “more robust” devices that are capable of flying in bad weather for longer time periods.

The report noted that there have been “multiple occurrences” since the launch of the program where both organizations have been requested to assist with ground search and rescue.

That included the search for two missing, vulnerable seniors in the last year, both of whom were located safely with the assistance of drones deployed by firefighters.

“The concern with using other agencies is that it ties up resources that may be needed elsewhere,” read the report.

Giuliani recommended the force expand its drone usage capabilities by increasing “the number of pilots and units available to deploy from each division without delay or dependency on other agencies.”

However, that recommendation as well as any related costs were not discussed at the meeting.

“The RPAS, like other technologies, further enhances police response to many situations,” said Hamilton, “And assists in improving community and officer safety.”