At the MACo Summer Conference, a panel of experts discussed best practices and implementation strategies for using new technologies to improve public safety.
Drones have proven to be a transformative force in public safety, providing unprecedented aerial photography and giving first responders and law enforcement real-time situational awareness during emergencies, natural disasters and major events. However, the widespread use of drones and other emerging technologies raises privacy concerns and introduces new regulatory challenges.
Delegate Luke Clippinger, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, led the conversation and moderated an informative question-and-answer session at the in-depth Tech Expo session “Eye in the Sky: Emerging Technologies to Improve Public Safety” at the MACo Summer Conference.
Chairman, MD House Judiciary Committee @LukeClippinger launches the “Eye in the Sky: New #Technology Improves public safety” in front of a full house in #MACoCon. pic.twitter.com/8901hZAXt0
— Kevin Kinnally (@KKinnally_MACo) 14 August 2024
Panel speakers included:
- The Honorable Dawn Luedtke, Councilmember, Montgomery County
- Tony Galladora, Deputy Commander of the Montgomery County Police Department
- Jay Stanley, Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU Project on Language, Privacy and Technology
Montgomery County Council member Dawn Luedtke explained how Montgomery County’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) program improves police response times and assists with de-escalation to increase the safety of both officers and residents. She also emphasized that the program is able to provide real-time aerial surveillance, creating critical situational awareness that enables more informed decision-making.
Montgomery County Police Lt. Victor Gallladora explained how the DFR program improves resource efficiency and helps locate missing persons and crime suspects. He also noted that the program greatly improves resource allocation because drones can quickly assess situations, freeing up personnel for other important tasks.
Jay Stanley discussed the challenges of protecting civil liberties and privacy in an increasingly digital world. He also stressed the importance of developing robust policies and frameworks to protect individual rights and ensure that digital technologies such as drones do not violate civil liberties or compromise privacy.
The meeting took place on August 14 at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland.
More about MACo’s summer conference:
