Clear and Present Danger
Malicious drones have moved from a hypothetical concern to an operational threat for law enforcement. In a new report, the Police Executive Research Forum warns that drone technology is evolving faster than the authorities and capabilities available to police, pointing to 2,800 drone incursions at NFL stadiums in 2025, roughly 23,000 illicit drone flights a month in New York City and more than 700 drones seized near World Cup venues this summer. PERF also details how drones are being weaponized in Ukraine and by Mexican cartels, while recent federal changes are giving state and local agencies a pathway to detect and eventually mitigate drone threats themselves. The report urges police leaders to begin preparing now by building federal partnerships, assessing vulnerable infrastructure, establishing detection capabilities, developing policies and pursuing counter-drone training. 📄 Read the PERF report
What’s Driving the Drop?
Vehicle burglaries in San Francisco have collapsed, falling from nearly 30,000 reported incidents in 2019 to around 5,000 over the past 12 months—an extraordinary decline that has outpaced every other large city with comparable data. Writing in Jeff-alytics, crime analyst Jeff Asher takes a data-driven look at whether police technology and increased enforcement deserve the credit. San Francisco increased hot-spot patrols, used bait cars, targeted organized burglary crews, deployed drones and installed Flock license plate readers. But Asher finds the evidence more complicated. Vehicle burglaries were already well into their decline before ALPR cameras were installed, and although San Francisco conducted nearly 7,500 drone flights from June 2024 through June 2026, only 176 involved vehicle burglaries—about 1% of reported incidents. Arrest rates for vehicle burglaries have improved, but Asher notes that the actual number of arrests has remained relatively stable as the number of crimes has fallen. He also points to recent research across 216 agencies finding fixed ALPR deployment was associated with an 11% decline in motor vehicle theft and a 15.9% increase in clearance rates, suggesting the technology can have measurable effects on some vehicle-related crime. His conclusion is not that technology doesn’t work, but that San Francisco’s remarkable decline likely has multiple causes and the data do not yet support giving drones, ALPR—or any single intervention—most of the credit. 📉 Read Jeff-alytics Substack
Additional ALPR Research
New research finds that Flock’s fixed license plate readers can reduce vehicle theft—but the benefits may be narrower than some of the company’s claims have suggested. Writing in City Journal, criminologists Ian Adams and Scott Mourtgos analyzed deployments at 216 law enforcement agencies and found motor vehicle theft fell about 11% relative to comparison agencies in the year after deployment. Vehicle-theft clearance rates increased about 16%, although that improvement began before the cameras were activated, meaning it cannot all be attributed to Flock. The cameras did not increase the overall likelihood that a stolen vehicle would be recovered, but vehicles that were recovered were found about six hours sooner. The authors note that previous claims about Flock’s effectiveness have relied heavily on correlational evidence and say their research provides a more rigorous—but also more limited—picture of what the technology actually delivers: measurable benefits for vehicle theft, but not a cure-all. They also call for independent auditing, tighter controls on searches and limits on data retention to address privacy and misuse concerns. 🔗 More here
The Fake Badge Scam
Nearly 61,000 complaints involving law enforcement or government impersonation scams were reported to the FBI between January 2025 and July 2026, with victims losing more than $1.6 billion. Scammers spoof legitimate phone numbers, email addresses, employee names and credentials, then use aggressive tactics—often threatening victims with arrest, prosecution or imprisonment unless they pay, according to MLive. Jury-duty scams alone generated 6,833 complaints and nearly $36 million in losses. The FBI says law enforcement agencies will never call or text someone demanding payment and will never request payment through prepaid cards, cryptocurrency or couriers. 🪪 More here
Chief Resigns After Investigation
Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada resigned after an inspector general investigation found he was “not truthful” when questioned about how and why a relative accompanied him to a law enforcement conference in Las Vegas. The Washington Post reports Yamada said he did not participate in selecting the relative for the trip, but investigators concluded that claim was false. The investigation also found that over a two-year period Yamada did not record taking leave despite being unavailable during regular work hours on some occasions, including to attend a golf tournament. County Executive Marc Elrich asked Yamada to resign, saying the findings were serious enough that the county “didn’t have a choice.” Yamada, who joined the department in 1988 and became chief in 2024, told employees he was retiring after 37 years with the agency. 🔗 More here
Durham Welcomes New Chief
Durham NC formally welcomed Chief Stephanie Mardis this week as she takes over a department confronting persistent violent crime and staffing challenges. WRAL News reports Mardis, a 24-year law enforcement veteran and former Greensboro assistant chief, was sworn in Sept. 18 after officially taking office earlier this month. Violent crime in Durham increased 4.6% during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, and the city’s homicide rate is roughly twice state and national rates. Mardis says reducing violence through collaboration with the community will be a priority, while emphasizing accountability within both the department and the community. 🔗 More here
Last Week
I didn’t publish the Weekly Briefing last week because I was recovering from my daughter’s wedding….wait until you see our dance video 💃🕺
Dealer Loyalty Card
An alleged Minnesota drug dealer was arrested after investigators say he handed out loyalty punch cards to regular customers. According to the National Enquirer, 27-year-old Andi Selencia allegedly distributed cards branded “flowerdaddy” while selling drugs, including psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana. The Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force investigated Selencia through surveillance, an undercover agent and traffic stops of suspected customers. After arranging an undercover purchase, authorities arrested Selencia and executed search warrants at multiple locations, where they say they seized more than 6,000 grams of marijuana flower, 5,100 grams of THC concentrate and 1,400 grams of psilocybin mushrooms. Investigators also recovered a pistol and determined that Selencia’s U.S. visa had expired in 2022, which authorities said prohibited him from possessing a firearm. 😶🌫️ More here
Illinois Targets Gunmakers
Illinois lawmakers are considering legislation that would require gun manufacturers to help pay the costs of gun violence in the state. FOX 2 reports Illinois officials estimate gun violence costs the state $20 billion each year for expenses including emergency services, funerals and law enforcement. Under the proposed Responsibility in Firearm Legislation Act, Senate Bill 2279, gun manufacturers would contribute to a state fund intended to offset those costs. The amount each manufacturer would pay would depend on how many of its firearms are tied to shootings in Illinois. If passed, the legislation would be the first of its kind in the nation. 🔫 More here
Absolutely gorgeous bride!