St. Paul City Council blocks police drone expansion over privacy concerns

The St. Paul City Council has halted plans to expand the St. Paul Police Department’s drone program, withdrawing a proposed federal grant application of up to $200,000. The decision follows significant public scrutiny regarding data privacy, continuous monitoring, and community oversight.

City Council President Rebecca Noecker stated that the governing body lacks sufficient support for the expansion at this time, noting that the city must address fundamental questions regarding transparency and data management. While the police department has utilized three ‘docked drones’ since 2023 to assist in rapid incident response—such as locating a child in a pond—residents have expressed concerns that the technology could be used for automated municipal surveillance.

St. Paul Police Deputy Chief Kurt Hallstrom noted that while manufacturers like Skydio describe the technology as ‘drones as first responders,’ the department prefers the term ‘docked drone’ to avoid misconceptions. The pause on the expansion aims to allow for necessary community dialogue regarding data retention policies and the specific conditions under which aerial cameras are activated.