The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has a bunch of new tools to enhance public safety, and the force calls it the “future of policing.”
According to VPD, these “cutting-edge technologies” will work to help keep the city safe.
As part of the new tools, the VPD is announcing something that it claims to be the first in Canada.
While other Canadian and Metro Vancouver police agencies have begun deploying drones, the VPD says that it’s the first police agency in Canada to deploy Skydio X10 drones for a Drone as First Responder Program.
“After extensive testing, six of the remote-piloted drone systems will be deployed. The drones have already been in testing for several weeks and are fully approved by Transport Canada,” VPD says.
The Skydio drones will also be able to be linked to the body-worn cameras that Vancouver police officers would be wearing.
VPD provided a scenario of how the technology might work.
“If an officer is in trouble, perhaps being assaulted, they can tap their camera three times, which will automatically deploy a Skydio drone to their exact location at the direction of the pilot in command,” VPD said.
VPD said that pilots can also “fly drones to a crime in progress, arrive first, and send the video feeds to responding officers as well as the Operations Command Center (OCC).”
It added that it could provide better intel on the situation and potentially help pursue suspects trying to evade police. The drones are also weatherproof, and there will be landing pods at strategic locations around the city.
Another new development is that the Axon body cameras that VPD will be using have the ability to translate language in real time. Over 50 languages will be able to be translated with just the push of a button.
“When you consider how multicultural Vancouver is, this translation ability is a game-changer,” said VPD Sergeant Dermot O’Boyle.
“We want to be able to help everyone in our city, including those who may not be fluent in English. Being able to understand what they’re telling us is a critical first step to getting them the help they need.”
The force has released a video depicting how some of the technology might work in real-world scenarios.
Other new tools include 73 Fleet 3 in-car video systems that have automated licence plate recognition cameras. There will also be new holsters for conducted energy weapons that will automatically activate body cams when drawn.
For folks worried about privacy and AI use with the new tech, VPD said, “All are designed with responsible AI and data use at their core, with safeguards for secure data handling, controlled access, and auditability.
It adds, “The AI does not make decisions about an individual, rather it gives the VPD the ability to respond more appropriately to emerging situations. Data is managed in alignment with local governance requirements, helping ensure it remains protected and under appropriate jurisdictional control, while giving VPD confidence that sensitive information is handled in accordance with British Columbia privacy standards.”