The city of Prairie Village could soon become the next Johnson County city to deploy drones as front-line emergency responders.
Last week, the Prairie Village City Council discussed entering a contract with Houston-based Paladin Drones during a committee of the whole meeting for its own “Drone as First Responder” program.
This is the same program that the city of Lenexa has been using since March and expanded in June, also under contract with Paladin. Lenexa Police now have a total of seven drones docked on various city properties that can be operated remotely, lifting off and flying to the scene of a 911 call within minutes.
Prairie Village Police Chief Eric McCullough told the city council that the police department already uses drones, but currently, an officer needs to be on scene with the drone in order to operate it.
“Where (‘Drone as First Responder’) is unique is that piloting can be done remotely by anyone at a computer console,” McCullough said.
“An extension of our manpower”
All councilmembers present at the July 21 committee of the whole meeting voted in support of the idea of Prairie Village purchasing a “Drone as First Responder,” including Councilmember Terrence Gallagher who said he sees it as a way to protect police officers.
“It is also an extension of our manpower, so when you think about it, we may only have to send one car and a drone versus having three units responding depending on the situation,” Gallagher said, adding that he likes the idea of signing a contract ahead of an expected “influx” of people to Johnson County and the Kansas City metro for the 2026 World Cup.
The use of similar “Drone as First Responder” programs has exploded across the U.S. in recent years, with such drones being used by police departments from Chula Vista, California, to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Lenexa Police officials have credited their “Drone as First Responder” drones with cutting down on 911 call response times and giving responding officers a clearer sense of what situations they will confront when they arrive.
Councilmember Ian Graves at the July 21 meeting did question how secure the data from the program will be, including who has authorization to operate the drone and access its data.
McCullough said the police department already has systems in place that track every drone flight including who operates it, where the drone goes and where the camera on the drone is pointed. That will continue with the “Drone as First Responder,” he said.
Mayor Eric Mikkelson asked the city attorney to review the data security and privacy portions of the contract with Paladin to ensure it is “up to standards” with the city’s needs.
Mission Hills will split the cost with Prairie Village
McCullough added that the city of Mission Hills has already offered to cover 50% of the cost for a new “drone as a first responder” program.
Prairie Village Police also serve Mission Hills through an interlocal contract, but McCullough said it’s unusual for Mission Hills to offer to cover more than 20% of the cost for any police-related programs or equipment.
The initial first-year cost, which includes the drone, its nest and the necessary software, is about $54,000 — or $27,000 each for Prairie Village and Mission Hills. The money would come out of the city’s equipment reserve, McCullough said.
Annually, “drones as a first responder” will cost roughly $37,000. There have already been discussions about cost-sharing and expanding service to all of northeast Johnson County, as well as with Consolidated Fire District No. 2, he said.
It is unclear yet where the drone will be docked, but McCullough said Paladin will review the department’s calls for service and recommend a centrally located hub.
Next steps:
- The city council in a 9-0 vote during the July 21 committee of the whole meeting agreed to consider the drone as a first responder program purchase at the councils’ regular Aug. 4 meeting.
- Councilmembers Lori Sharp, Chi Nguyen and Greg Shelton were absent from the committee of the whole discussion.
- The city council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 7700 Mission Road.
Go deeper: Watch the city council’s entire discussion online here starting at 1:13:25.
