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East Point police launch drone fleet with secret cameras
East Point Police Department operates a Real Time Crime Center monitoring 300 to 400 cameras and managing 125,000 annual service calls.
EAST POINT, Ga. - The East Point Police Department's Real-Time Crime Center is using technology to cut response times and monitor criminal activity across the city.
East Point police technology
What we know:
Inside the center, officers monitor live video feeds to track suspects and respond to incidents as they happen. The facility serves as the command center for the department, which handles approximately 125,000 calls for service each year.
Police Chief Shawn Buchanan described the setup as a game-changer for local law enforcement. The center utilizes about 300 cameras positioned across the city to monitor traffic and crime, though officials noted they do not function as license plate readers.
"It’s revolutionary," Buchanan said. "We have about 125,000 calls a year for service. So if we can cut the amount of calls and reduce our response times through technology. It’s one of the most revolutionary inventions in law enforcement."
Drone response and crime rates
The backstory:
Police launched the center and its accompanying drone program about eight months ago. Officers operate silent grey drones that blend into the sky to gather footage without alerting people on the ground.
"We can be an eye in the sky very silently. They don’t have to see us, but we can see everything," NEED TO FIGURE WHO SAID THIS.
Buchanan reported that 80% of emergency calls can be answered in 90 seconds or less using drone response units. Official 2025 crime statistics for East Point show that crime decreased across the board, including drops in homicides and aggravated assaults.
Unsolved homicide investigation
What we don't know:
Despite an overall drop in crime, a woman's shooting death remains unsolved. In January, before the new surveillance technology was fully operational, 55-year-old Ina Chambers was shot and killed outside the Gus Thornhill Funeral Home in East Point.
Investigators have not publicly named any suspects or revealed a motive in Chambers' death. However, Buchanan expressed strong confidence that officers will resolve the case soon.
"I will tell you, it’s a lot going on with that case, but I feel very confident in the very near future, that case will come to a close," Buchanan said.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Larry Spruill, as well as statements provided directly by East Point Police Chief Shawn Buchanan and department personnel inside the Real Time Crime Center.