City staff advance CMPD drone deployment with no vote, no debate, no transparency 🛰️⚠️
By Jack Beckett | Senior Writer, The Charlotte Mercury
Charlotte officials are pushing forward with a plan to deploy police surveillance drones — without a vote, a hearing, or even a policy on the books.
At the March 24 City Council business meeting, Assistant City Manager Sean Heath dropped the bombshell mid-presentation: an RFP for drone-as-first-responder technology is already underway. No prior discussion. No public vetting. Just city staff, moving forward with one of the most controversial technologies in modern policing.
Councilmembers were blindsided.
“I am not comfortable with hearing that staff is moving forward with something that Council has not had a long conversation about,” said Councilmember LaWana Mayfield. “We need to slow down.”
Mayfield, a longtime critic of unchecked surveillance, didn’t mince words. She called the drone proposal “outrageous” and flagged deep concerns about privacy, racial profiling, and accountability. Her message: CMPD doesn’t get to play Skynet without a conversation first.
No Policy, No Problem
The drone plan would allow CMPD to fly unmanned aerial vehicles to crime scenes, with staff claiming it would help officers respond more safely and efficiently. Heath pointed to New York, Miami, and Las Vegas — cities with existing drone programs — as models.
What he didn’t mention? Those cities also have public policies, civil liberty guidelines, and governance structures in place. Charlotte has none of that.
No community engagement.
No legal framework.
No data retention protocols.
No transparency about footage use.
No word on whether drones would be armed, equipped with facial recognition, or capable of recording audio.
Yet procurement has started. And “external partners,” according to Heath, are already offering funding commitments — from where, he wouldn’t say.
A Pattern of Silence
This isn’t the first time Charlotte leadership has tried to advance high-impact public safety technology with minimal oversight.
In 2022, Councilmembers raised alarms over CMPD’s purchase of cellphone-tracking devices. In 2023, the city quietly piloted facial recognition for traffic enforcement, only reversing course after public pushback.
Now, the drone program risks becoming the next tech initiative shoved through by staff without Council consent. Even worse: it’s happening under the guise of “public safety,” despite Charlotte crime rates trending down in nearly every major category.
CMPD reported a 19% decrease in violent crime and 9% drop in property crime in Q1 2025. Those numbers were cited earlier in the same meeting.
“If we’re seeing less crime, why are we ramping up surveillance?” one Council staffer whispered off-mic. “Who exactly is this for?”
Drone Today, Dystopia Tomorrow
Councilmember Renee Johnson asked whether community surveys had been done on drone use. Heath didn’t offer a clear answer. He did, however, confirm that the program was already moving forward behind closed doors — and that “external funding” might accelerate it.
Let’s translate: CMPD is quietly rolling out airborne surveillance with private money and no public policy.
That’s not innovation. That’s shadow governance.
The plan hasn’t passed the Public Safety Committee. It hasn’t been reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office. Council has not approved a budget line item. There is no scheduled hearing. But the RFP is live. The deal, it seems, is already in motion.
The Council Pushes Back — But Will It Stick?
Mayfield, joined by other councilmembers, demanded a halt. “We need policy before procurement,” said Councilmember Victoria Watlington. Others nodded in agreement. But no formal vote was taken. No official action was passed.
Which means nothing is stopping staff from moving forward — unless Council puts its foot down now.
If history is any guide, silence equals approval. And city staff know that. CMPD knows it too.
“We are not a surveillance city,” said Mayfield. “At least, we weren’t supposed to be.”
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☕ Jack Beckett
Senior Writer, Charlotte Mercury
💀 Consumes more cold brew than legally advised. You’ll find me where the signal’s weak and the espresso’s strong — preferably at Summit Coffee, pen in one hand, subpoena in the other.
