Ontario police force may be 1st in Canada to use drones for some 911 calls
Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Anthony Odoardi told Global News in a statement Wednesday the initiative would make them 'one of, if not the first police service in Canada' to use drone technology in that capacity.
'The initiative aims to reduce response times and provide officers with real-time information before they arrive,' Odoardi said.
'While specific call types are still being finalized, drones may be used for in-progress incidents such as break and enters, missing vulnerable persons, or auto thefts.'
Odoardi added the force is currently in the 'planning and regulatory review phase' and will eventually begin with a limited pilot. He did not offer a timeline of its implementation, but said the pilot will assess operation value, cost and community impact.
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'Privacy protections, including a Privacy Impact Assessment and community consultations, will guide implementation,' he said.
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Glimpse into VPD's drone program
Over the last several years, police forces across Canada have been increasingly utilizing drones.
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Several police forces, including in Halton Region and Peel, currently utilize drones for search and rescue cases, collision reconstruction, tactical operations and disaster response.
In June, an Ontario Provincial Police drone was crucial in finding a three-year-old Quebec girl who was the subject of a frantic four-day search in both provinces.
The girl, who was reported missing in Coteau-du-Lac, Que., was spotted four days later by the police drone sitting alone in a ditch along the side of a highway near St. Albert, roughly 100 km from where she was reported missing.
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Even in Vancouver — where the Vancouver Police Department's (VPD) 20 drones flew 1,826 missions in 2024 — drones have been described as critical to daily policing.
'We answer 700 calls for service a day and these pilots are incredibly busy,' VPD Supt. Don Chapman told Global News in March.
One of their drones was key in capturing murder suspect Brendan Colin McBride, accused of killing a man in downtown Vancouver in September 2024 and of slicing off another person's hand.
McBride was found on Habitat Island by the police drone.
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Every mission requires a pilot and a spotter, with video streamed back to an operational command centre, the VPD said. But only five per cent of the recordings are preserved, and VPD told Global News those must be connected to a crime.
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Odoardi reiterated to Global News Peel police's drones won't be used outside of their intended purpose.
'All drone operations will be managed by trained officers through our Aerial Support Unit and Community Safety Operations Centre and will not be used for general surveillance or utilize facial recognition technology,' he said.
'We are committed to advancing technology in our service to better support our communities and equip officers with the tools needed to enhance emergency response efforts.'
— with files from Catherine Urquhart
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