City of Baltimore - File #: 20-0254R

• File #: 20-0254R
• Version: 0
• Name: The Baltimore City Aerial Investigation Research Program
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Introduced In Council
• File created: 10/19/2020
• In control: Public Safety Committee
• Title: The Baltimore City Aerial Investigation Research Program For the purpose of calling on the Baltimore Police Commissioner and others to report to the Baltimore City Council specific data and criteria in determining the effectiveness of the Aerial Investigation Research program and calling on the Board of Estimates to call a public hearing on the program prior to rendering any decision on its extension beyond October 31, 2020.
• Sponsors: Mary Pat Clarke, Sharon Green Middleton, Bill Henry, John T. Bullock, Kristerfer Burnett
• Indexes: Aerial, Baltimore City, Investigation, Program, Research

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/22/2020	0	The City Council	Refer to Office of the Mayor
10/22/2020	0	The City Council	Refer to City Solicitor
10/22/2020	0	The City Council	Refer to Police Department
10/22/2020	0	The City Council	Refer to Office of the Comptroller
10/19/2020	0	City Council	Assigned
10/19/2020	0	City Council	Introduced

* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*

City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A Resolution Entitled

A Council Resolution concerning
title
The Baltimore City Aerial Investigation Research Program
For the purpose of calling on the Baltimore Police Commissioner and others to report to the Baltimore City Council specific data and criteria in determining the effectiveness of the Aerial Investigation Research program and calling on the Board of Estimates to call a public hearing on the program prior to rendering any decision on its extension beyond October 31, 2020.
body

Recitals

On April 1, 2020, the Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved an agreement with Persistent Surveillance Systems, LLC to establish a 6-month pilot program that would allow 3 privately-funded surveillance planes to patrol the streets of Baltimore from the air. In addition, this program will include an independent study regarding the effectiveness of the air patrols on reducing our violent crime. Currently, this program is being privately-funded, and neither the flights nor the associated study are being conducted at any cost to the taxpayers of Baltimore.

Shortly after the approval of this program by the Board of Estimates, the first surveillance planes took flight. It was at this point citizens noticed that the planes were causing significant noise as they conducted their surveillance routes over the City. In its May 13, 2020 piece on the noise issue, the Baltimore Sun reported that “[t]he plane typically flies at 9,500 feet but can be forced down to 3,000 ...