Like many law enforcement agencies in recent years, the Florence Police Department faced significant staffing shortages, all while Florence’s population and police call volume have continued to rise. Aiming to enhance public safety while avoiding burnout among overextended officers, the city researched and implemented the Keeping Florence Safe Initiative.  

The initiative combines a Real Time Crime Center with a drone first responder program, enabling in-house operators to launch drones and gather critical information on the scene of a call and relay it to responding officers. The cameras help serve as a multiplier for police presence, such as by alerting the department of crowd situations where they may want a patrolling officer to observe in person. The initiative makes use of three dock-mounted drones, more than 45 stationary license plate readers, eight live-view cameras and access to more than 300 community cameras, including those found at local businesses and Florence Housing Authority properties.  

In the first six months of camera usage, the technology helped in more than 100 investigations, and assisted in 55 arrests, the recovery of 36 stolen vehicles and 30 stolen license plates, as well as the location of seven missing people. Initial support for the cameras came from state funding, after which the city approved funding for the initiative’s expansion, including the drones. Future plans include hiring additional staff for the crime center, encouraging community camera participation and potentially investing in gunshot detection technology.  

Contact Amanda Pope at apope@cityofflorencesc.gov or 843.665.3113.