Inside Miami Beach PD's DFR Program: Lessons from Spring Break, FIFA, and 500+ Responses

Inside Miami Beach PD's DFR Program: Lessons from Spring Break, FIFA, and 500+ Responses

Miami Beach PD (MBPD) has built one of the nation's most active Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs, supporting everything from daily calls for service to major events like Spring Break, Formula 1 weekend, and FIFA World Cup preparation.

Join Chief Wayne Jones, Lieutenant Ray Diaz, Sergeant Anthony Loperfido, and moderator Noreen Charlton for a practical discussion on how MBPD built one of the nation's most mature DFR programs. In just three months, the department responded to more than 500 incidents, arrived first on scene nearly 49% of the time, provided actionable intelligence in 97.7% of missions, and cleared 14% of calls without requiring patrol response.

Through real-world examples and mission footage, the team will share the operational strategies, lessons learned, and metrics behind one of the country's most mature DFR programs.

Key Takeaways

1. Building department-wide adoption: Learn how MBPD integrated drones into daily policing operations and officer workflows.
2. Supporting major events: Discover how DFR supports high-profile events, including Spring Break, Formula 1, and FIFA preparation.
3. Proving program value: Understand which metrics matter most when evaluating and scaling a DFR program.
4. Arriving first, responding smarter: See how first-on-scene response and actionable intelligence improve decision-making before officers arrive.
5. Scaling for success: Gain practical insights for building, expanding, and sustaining a successful DFR program.

Stick around for a live Q&A where MBPD’s DFR team will answer your questions and share lessons learned from implementing one of the most mature DFR programs in the country.