Scan the Police (Baltimore City)

Nearly 300 pages of Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ records released after first-of-its-kind ruling Atlanta Police Foundation forced to disclose a year after a lawsuit, and could have implications for other cities

"Every major US city has a private foundation supporting police, with more than 250 nationwide. The foundations have been used to pay for surveillance technologies in cities like Baltimore and Los Angeles without being subject to public scrutiny, according to the report."

Did BPD deploy surveillance drones at the 6/20 protest, violating their own policies and scrubbing it from public flight logs?

Alt: Screenshot of the 9/20/2023 Board of Estimates agenda, item “SB-23-13113 - Sole Source - Contract Number 08000 Drones and a GPS Mapping Package.” The amount is $ 38,152.45. The description reads “The BCPD has a requirement to get additional Drones with GPS Mapping Package compatible with existing Drones and Mapping package. DiCarlo Precision Instruments is the sole source vendor of Drones and a GPS Mapping Package meeting the requirements.”

Screenshot of website linked in post, with pictures of six drones available from DiCarlo Precision Instrument Inc.

In 2023, BPD purchased drones from DiCarlo Precision Instruments, Inc.

Members of the public at the protest on 6/20 reported to us that the drone they observed surveilling the protest and returning to BPD matched the drones available from DiCarlo.
www.dicarlotech.com/products/uav

ALT: flight logs for June 2025 BPD drone use arranged in a chart. Two entries for 6/20/2025 are highlighted: SWAT High Risk Search Warrants for Norfolk Ave and Edison Highway, both in completely different areas of the city than the protest in Upton.

Drone flight logs are posted on BPD’s “New Technology Initiatives” page. Despite reports by members of the public seeing a drone fly low over the protest, then return to BPD, there is no drone flight on 6/20 in Upton in the logs.
www.baltimorepolice.org/resources-an...

Alt: Screenshot of linked document. “Prohibited Actions. 17. Units shall not use their sUASs for reasons other than those approved by BPD. 18. Units shall not use their unit’s sUASs to other unauthorized BPD units or aid with the use of sUAS’s during missions that are outside the scope of their approved unit’s duties. 19. BPD units that are not approved for the use of sUASs shall be prohibited from borrowing, inviting, or testing sUASs from other entities or individuals, including approved BPD units, during law enforcement activity.

BPD using a drone for a reason other than those listed in the previous post is prohibited.
www.baltimorepolice.org/transparency...

Alt: Screenshot of page 1 of linked document, headlined “Baltimore Police Department Approved Units for Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS)” and listing circumstances when SWAT may use drones.

Alt: Screenshot of page 2 of linked document, listing circumstances when the Crime Scene Unit may use drones.

Per BPD policy, units must go through an approval process to begin using drones. Only two units are currently authorized to use drones - SWAT and the Crime Scene Unit - and only for specific purposes. Protest surveillance isn’t one of them.
public.powerdms.com/BALTIMOREMD/...

Alt: Screenshot of linked BPD policy document. “Balancing of Interests. The BPD shall balance privacy against the need for public safety and evidence collection. Authorized personnel are permitted to use their unit’s sUAS for search and rescue missions, high risk situations (e.g. barricades, active shooters, etc.), or to gather evidence for investigative purposes when the subject(s) and/or material(s) are positioned in places or distanced such that gaining access or capturing the full scope of the scene would be hazardous or impossible for personnel to achieve by foot.”

You can read BPD’s full, final drones policy here. It names 3 allowed uses of drones by BPD in principle: search and rescue missions, high risk situations, or gathering evidence when it can’t be done on foot.
www.baltimorepolice.org/transparency...

Alt: Screenshot of linked press release. “Baltimore, Md. (July 5, 2023) – Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) Crime Scene Unit and SWAT Team plan to begin using small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) technology during crime scene management and tactical situations. Before the use of the new technology, the Department is soliciting feedback from the community on Draft Policy 1512: Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS). Starting July 6, the department will host a 30-day public comment period in soliciting community feedback on the draft policy. The policy was created alongside the Department of Justice and the Federal Consent Decree’s Monitoring Team. Our Crime Scene Unit will be able use the technology as a more efficient, cost-effective and safer alternative to documenting scenes, while simultaneously capturing images and aerial documentation that present a true and accurate representation of the scene for investigators and for use in a court of law. Additionally, this new technology will only be deployed in certain scenarios and will provide officers the safest, most efficient and most lawful methods for collecting information and apprehending suspects during tactical situations. Some of these scenarios include: Hostage Rescues, Police Involved Shootings, Active Shooter, Shooting Investigations, to include Homicides, Barricaded Persons, Arsons and Explosions, High Risk Raids, De-escalation Techniques for Behavioral Health Crises.”

In July 2023, BPD announced it would start using drones - only to document crime scenes and “for collecting information and apprehending suspects during tactical situations.”
www.baltimorepolice.org/news/bpd-req...

Did BPD deploy surveillance drones at the 6/20 protest, violating their own policies and scrubbing it from public flight logs?

Alt: Screenshot of the 9/20/2023 Board of Estimates agenda, item “SB-23-13113 - Sole Source - Contract Number 08000 Drones and a GPS Mapping Package.” The amount is $ 38,152.45. The description reads “The BCPD has a requirement to get additional Drones with GPS Mapping Package compatible with existing Drones and Mapping package. DiCarlo Precision Instruments is the sole source vendor of Drones and a GPS Mapping Package meeting the requirements.”

Screenshot of website linked in post, with pictures of six drones available from DiCarlo Precision Instrument Inc.

In 2023, BPD purchased drones from DiCarlo Precision Instruments, Inc.

Members of the public at the protest on 6/20 reported to us that the drone they observed surveilling the protest and returning to BPD matched the drones available from DiCarlo.
www.dicarlotech.com/products/uav

ALT: flight logs for June 2025 BPD drone use arranged in a chart. Two entries for 6/20/2025 are highlighted: SWAT High Risk Search Warrants for Norfolk Ave and Edison Highway, both in completely different areas of the city than the protest in Upton.

Drone flight logs are posted on BPD’s “New Technology Initiatives” page. Despite reports by members of the public seeing a drone fly low over the protest, then return to BPD, there is no drone flight on 6/20 in Upton in the logs.
www.baltimorepolice.org/resources-an...

Alt: Screenshot of linked document. “Prohibited Actions. 17. Units shall not use their sUASs for reasons other than those approved by BPD. 18. Units shall not use their unit’s sUASs to other unauthorized BPD units or aid with the use of sUAS’s during missions that are outside the scope of their approved unit’s duties. 19. BPD units that are not approved for the use of sUASs shall be prohibited from borrowing, inviting, or testing sUASs from other entities or individuals, including approved BPD units, during law enforcement activity.

BPD using a drone for a reason other than those listed in the previous post is prohibited.
www.baltimorepolice.org/transparency...

Alt: Screenshot of page 1 of linked document, headlined “Baltimore Police Department Approved Units for Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS)” and listing circumstances when SWAT may use drones.

Alt: Screenshot of page 2 of linked document, listing circumstances when the Crime Scene Unit may use drones.

Per BPD policy, units must go through an approval process to begin using drones. Only two units are currently authorized to use drones - SWAT and the Crime Scene Unit - and only for specific purposes. Protest surveillance isn’t one of them.
public.powerdms.com/BALTIMOREMD/...

Alt: Screenshot of linked BPD policy document. “Balancing of Interests. The BPD shall balance privacy against the need for public safety and evidence collection. Authorized personnel are permitted to use their unit’s sUAS for search and rescue missions, high risk situations (e.g. barricades, active shooters, etc.), or to gather evidence for investigative purposes when the subject(s) and/or material(s) are positioned in places or distanced such that gaining access or capturing the full scope of the scene would be hazardous or impossible for personnel to achieve by foot.”

You can read BPD’s full, final drones policy here. It names 3 allowed uses of drones by BPD in principle: search and rescue missions, high risk situations, or gathering evidence when it can’t be done on foot.
www.baltimorepolice.org/transparency...

Alt: Screenshot of linked press release. “Baltimore, Md. (July 5, 2023) – Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) Crime Scene Unit and SWAT Team plan to begin using small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) technology during crime scene management and tactical situations. Before the use of the new technology, the Department is soliciting feedback from the community on Draft Policy 1512: Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS). Starting July 6, the department will host a 30-day public comment period in soliciting community feedback on the draft policy. The policy was created alongside the Department of Justice and the Federal Consent Decree’s Monitoring Team. Our Crime Scene Unit will be able use the technology as a more efficient, cost-effective and safer alternative to documenting scenes, while simultaneously capturing images and aerial documentation that present a true and accurate representation of the scene for investigators and for use in a court of law. Additionally, this new technology will only be deployed in certain scenarios and will provide officers the safest, most efficient and most lawful methods for collecting information and apprehending suspects during tactical situations. Some of these scenarios include: Hostage Rescues, Police Involved Shootings, Active Shooter, Shooting Investigations, to include Homicides, Barricaded Persons, Arsons and Explosions, High Risk Raids, De-escalation Techniques for Behavioral Health Crises.”

In July 2023, BPD announced it would start using drones - only to document crime scenes and “for collecting information and apprehending suspects during tactical situations.”
www.baltimorepolice.org/news/bpd-req...

A picture of a gray quadcopter drone with prominent cameras on a white background.

On June 20, protesters seeking justice following the BPD killing of Bilal Abdullah reported seeking a drone hovering overhead before it flew back to BPD officers nearby.

If BPD used a drone for surveillance of the protest, that was a significant breach of their own policy and promises.

🧵

Alt: Screenshot of linked press release. “Baltimore, Md. (July 5, 2023) – Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) Crime Scene Unit and SWAT Team plan to begin using small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) technology during crime scene management and tactical situations. Before the use of the new technology, the Department is soliciting feedback from the community on Draft Policy 1512: Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS). Starting July 6, the department will host a 30-day public comment period in soliciting community feedback on the draft policy. The policy was created alongside the Department of Justice and the Federal Consent Decree’s Monitoring Team. Our Crime Scene Unit will be able use the technology as a more efficient, cost-effective and safer alternative to documenting scenes, while simultaneously capturing images and aerial documentation that present a true and accurate representation of the scene for investigators and for use in a court of law. Additionally, this new technology will only be deployed in certain scenarios and will provide officers the safest, most efficient and most lawful methods for collecting information and apprehending suspects during tactical situations. Some of these scenarios include: Hostage Rescues, Police Involved Shootings, Active Shooter, Shooting Investigations, to include Homicides, Barricaded Persons, Arsons and Explosions, High Risk Raids, De-escalation Techniques for Behavioral Health Crises.”

In July 2023, BPD announced it would start using drones - only for documenting crime scenes and “for collecting information and apprehending suspects during tactical situations.”
www.baltimorepolice.org/news/bpd-req...

Family mourns arabber slain by police as new details emerge On the evening of the Juneteenth holiday, a crowd gathered near the Upton Metro station off Pennsylvania Avenue, not to celebrate the end of slavery in America but to mourn the shooting of beloved ara...

New story about the police shooting of Bilal Abdullah, his family’s response, and new details that refute Commissioner Worley’s claim that the community kept them from rendering aid. baltimorebeat.com/family-mourn...

After Elon Musk bought Twitter, we left our account. We can no longer live-post since BPD radios are now fully encrypted and the scanner is only available online on a 15-minute delay, so our work will look a bit different going forward. In the meantime, stay safe — don’t talk to cops.

For folks unfamiliar with us, we formed on Twitter during the George Floyd Uprisings of 2020 to share out publicly available scanner feeds from BPD, both during protests and otherwise. It’s important to us that our neighbors know what BPD is doing with its over half-a-billion-dollar budget.

Good morning ☀️ We’re back.