FERGUSON, Mo. – Ferguson Police Chief Troy Foyle held a town hall where he showed the public the views from their brand-new drones Thursday night.

The drones, described as unmanned aircraft systems, can capture aerial images of crash scenes, monitor emergencies and reduce dangerous high-speed chases by arriving at crime scenes before officers do. 

The Ferguson Police Department (FPD) purchased two drones, which will be operated by certified FAA pilots.

Doyle emphasized privacy safeguards.

“We have looked over the drone policy and it’s going to be great for our city to help our officers get to locations safely,” Adrian sharobshire, a resident, said.

Others believe this is a start for a new day in Ferguson.

“It’s a start. I just basically got here in the residence. A friend of mine has been here for like 20 years and they haven’t really done knocking on doors yet and introducing themselves,” Tony Gates, another resident, said.

Ferguson police have also upgraded their body cameras, extending battery life to match 12-hour shifts and enabling live streaming during active incidents.

The city’s license plate readers, combined with flock cameras, help track stolen vehicles and wanted suspects.

Chief Doyle announced more initiatives to increase safety in Ferguson.

“We’re in the process of what we call a safe streets initiative for the city of Ferguson. Basically, it’s a fancy neighborhood watch with all bit more structure. so the goal is to get the residents more involved in the crime-fighting efforts that we have here in Ferguson,” Doyle said.

Ferguson residents hope these new technologies and community programs will build trust and reduce crime.

Chief Doyle says the department will start to use these new technologies as soon as the technologies’ policies are posted on FPD’s website.