Fort Worth Police Launch Flock Drone as First Responder Program Ahead of a Historic Summer in North Texas

Fort Worth, TX -- The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) announced the launch of its Flock Drone as First Responder (DFR) program, giving officers real-time aerial awareness in the city as North Texas prepares to host one of the largest sporting events in its history.

Built in partnership with Flock, the program puts eyes on a scene immediately after a call comes in, helping officers understand what they are walking into before they arrive.

Bringing Real-Time Aerial Awareness to Emergency Response

When a qualifying 911 call comes in, an FWPD drone can launch from its dock and reach nearby scenes within minutes, streaming a live aerial view to officers in the field, dispatch, and the department's real-time crime center.

That early picture helps responders assess conditions, identify potential hazards, and coordinate a response before the first unit arrives. Each dock is designed to provide coverage within a roughly 4-mile radius, extending the department's reach throughout the community.

Supporting Faster, More Informed Decisions in the Field

DFR can support a wide range of public safety calls, from helping locate missing or vulnerable people to providing situational awareness during traffic collisions, suspicious activity calls, and large public events.

By giving responders a real-time view of what is happening before they arrive, DFR can help officers identify hazards, coordinate resources more effectively, and get the right help to the right place faster. In many cases, that early information can reduce uncertainty during critical moments and improve outcomes for both the public and first responders.

“Better information leads to better decisions, and better decisions lead to safer outcomes for everyone involved,” said Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie García. “This technology has the potential to reduce unnecessary risk, improve response capabilities, and enhance public safety for the entire Fort Worth community.”

DFR builds on the technology FWPD already has in place. The program works alongside the department's Flock license plate reader network and a real-time crime center that the department is expanding into a regional resource for partnering agencies, helping officers connect information from multiple sources and respond more efficiently across jurisdictions.

Accountability and Transparency Built Into Every Flight

The department is launching the program with a clear commitment to accountability and responsible use. Every flight is automatically logged and auditable, recording where a drone flew, when, and why.

In transit, the drone's camera points toward the horizon and tilts only toward the scene at the incident location, so flights do not scan neighborhoods along the way. Drones launch only in direct response to a specific incident, such as a 911 call, a license plate reader alert, or gunshot detection, rather than for roaming patrol.

A public community dashboard will publish redacted flight logs and high-level metrics so residents can see how the program is being used.

A Shared Commitment to Safer Communities

"We are proud to support this department as they launch their Drone as First Responder program and continue investing in innovative approaches to public safety."

"At Flock, our mission is to help communities thrive by giving public safety agencies the tools they need to respond faster, operate more effectively, and help keep people safe,” said Paris Lewbel, Public Relations Manager, Flock Safety. "Drone as First Responder isn't about generalized surveillance. It's about giving officers the context they need to protect a community, with the accountability and transparency that earns public trust."

As the region looks ahead to a landmark summer, FWPD's DFR program reflects a department investing in the kind of technology that helps it respond with greater speed, precision, and care, this season and well beyond.

About FWPD

The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD), established in 1873, is situated in North Central Texas and is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex. The department's motto is “Service with Respect, Dedicated to Protect." It has an authorized strength of 1,896 sworn peace officers who are dedicated to dutifully serving what is currently the 10th largest city in the United States, home to more than 1,028,117 people.

About Flock

Flock is the leading safety technology platform, helping communities thrive by taking a proactive approach to crime prevention and security. Our end-to-end hardware and software suite unites cities, law enforcement, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods in a nationwide public-private safety network. Flock is trusted by more than 12,000 customers to deliver real-time intelligence while upholding the highest standards of privacy, data integrity, and responsible innovation.

Media Contacts

Fort Worth Police Department Public Relations Office/PRO Team – policemedia@fortworthtexas.gov

Flock – media@flocksafety.com