Latest news with #DroneFirstResponder
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Baltimore County Police get community input for drone response program
The Baltimore County Police Department is gathering community feedback for its proposed Drone as a First Responder program, which will assist officers during emergency responses. Maj. Wes Fischer, with the Baltimore County Police, says the program would be funded by money the county receives from speeding cameras. If the department moves forward with the project, a policy needs to be drafted citing what calls the drone would respond to, and then a pilot program would be started. "Slowly start with a certain area and respond to a limited number of calls to make sure the technology works," Maj. Fischer said. Having a drone as a first responder, agencies like police departments can deploy them from a farther distance, which allows the technology to be first on the scene of an emergency, according to law enforcement officers. The vantage point also gives officers a better idea of the area they are responding to. "There have been cases where drones have responded to the scene first, and a person was reported to have a weapon, but they were able to say, 'No, we're able to see it. It's not a weapon," Maj. Fischer said. "You can then de-escalate. You can control your response a little differently." The police department shared the advantages of drone use with residents in Dundalk Wednesday night at a community meeting, hoping to get their feedback and support. "It can picture people," Baltimore County resident Olivia Lomax said. "You get the right person. You're not picking up somebody who just happened to walk by. I think it's essential." But some residents have doubts about the drone program. "It's a good tool for the police officers," said Baltimore County resident Paul Stifflar. "As far as keeping crime down and all the police calls coming in, they're still going to come in." Baltimore County Police will have the drones back out on display on Thursday in Randallstown and then on Monday in Towson. The Anne Arundel County Police Department recently launched its patrol drone program, focused on enhancing emergency response. The program expands the department's existing drone operations, previously limited to crash investigations, to include real-time support for 911 calls and police-generated incidents. According to the department, the drones provide aerial perspectives to help officers deploy resources more strategically. "When they get to the scene, they can deploy a drone, obtain real-time information, and they can direct officers to where the actual problem is," said Marc Limansky, a spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Police Department. The patrol drones will assist in searches for missing persons, crowd and traffic management during special events, and live video transmission to the department's Real-Time Information Center. Baltimore City unveiled its draft drone policy in July 2023 to allow the use of drones in scenarios such as documenting crime scenes, SWAT situations, active shooter events, and hostage rescues. In April 2024, the Harford County Sheriff's Office used drones to apprehend suspects in two home invasions. In November, Harford deputies captured two Baltimore City teens accused of breaking into more than 20 vehicles. Also in 2024, Howard County police used a drone to locate a minor who crashed a stolen car and left the scene. Drones also assisted in the arrest of David Linthicum in 2023 after he shot two Baltimore County Police officers and fled to Fallston.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Washington Post
Police nationwide are embracing a new first responder: Drones
In dozens of U.S. cities, the next time you call 911, a drone might show up before an officer does. The technology behind that — 'Drone as First Responder,' or DFR — has skyrocketed in popularity among police departments nationwide since the Federal Aviation Administration streamlined the process for agencies to adopt the program this spring. While it could previously take up to a year to get approval, it now often takes just days.
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Police Department drone program begins covering 40% of city
The drone's sirens wailed. And its red and blue lights flashed as it hovered in front of District 1 Police Headquarters. Through a loudspeaker, a voice echoed from the whirring machine: "Reporting for duty and ready for dispatch." Cincinnati police officially launched a new Drone as First Responder program during a news conference July 25. Chief Teresa Theetge called the program "life-saving" and "future-changing." Law enforcement technology companies Axon and Skydio sent representatives to witness the first flight. Noreen Charlton with Skydio said Cincinnati's program is the largest "drone as first responder" program in the Midwest. Axio's Kristin Lowman said it was one of the most advanced programs in the country. The new police drones can be remotely deployed and piloted toward the scene of an incident from "hives" placed across the city, Charlton explained. Within seconds, a drone could be at the scene of an incident while officers are still on their way. The department first introduced the program earlier this summer as one of its measures to combat an uptick in crime across the city, particularly in the urban core. Police Chief Teresa Theetge said officers have already been using the small aircraft to assist with ongoing investigations, like wanted persons or traffic incidents, and during street crime task force operations. Now, police say docks have been installed across the city to make deployment easier. The program will cover approximately 40% of the city – the Price Hill neighborhoods, Over-the-Rhine, Queensgate, West End, Downtown, CUF, Northside and Spring Grove Village. Theetge said she plans to have 90% of the city covered by the end of the year. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is in the process of launching its own Drone as First Responder program, and other major departments nationwide such as the New York Police Department have programs in place as well. The drones are part of a contract with Skydio, a U.S. manufacturer of drones for police departments and the military, and with Axon. Axon is known for Taser technology, body cameras, and online evidence storage. Cincinnati police's drones integrate with Axon's systems to allow officers to use one platform for monitoring and responding to incidents in progress. Police say drones will be used only in response to dispatched calls for service, not for random surveillance or general patrol. "The camera will be pointed at the horizon line during flight," Theetge said. All drone operators are Federal Aviation Administration-certified and trained in public safety drone use, police say. This story will be updated. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati police launch 'Drone as First Responder' program Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Endangered 80-year-old man found in wooded area in Redmond
An 80-year-old man who suffers from dementia and diabetes was found in a wooded area in Redmond on May 7 at around 7 a.m., the Redmond Police Department (RPD) posted on X. Yeongcheol Lee left his house between 3 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., his family reported to Redmond police. After police were unable to find him while searching on the ground, a Drone First Responder (DFR) was deployed to help locate him from the air, RPD posted. Video posted on X shows the drone hovering above the wooded area, then finding Lee sitting in the bushes, where the pilot relayed his location to officers. Police found him uninjured and were able to bring him back to his family, the post said.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Glendale PD launches drone program to help fight crime
The Brief The Glendale Police Department is using drones to fight crime across the city. They'll allow officers to arrive at the scene sooner, by drone, to help responding officers have more precise information and a location where a crime is happening. GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Glendale Police Department is using a new drone system to respond to crimes in the community, and it plans to have launch pads across the city. What we know The Drone First Responder program has expanded to Arizona, and the Glendale Police Department is already putting it to use. It allows Glendale Police officers like Ryan Enos to control a drone inside the real-time crime center from his computer. "Our desks are set up similar to a dispatch console, and we were able to have foot pedals and microphones built in for us. I can still fly and have both hands on the controllers, and be able to visually see what I need to see, and use the foot pedals to directly contact immediately the officers," he explained. What they're saying The drone can fly within a two-mile radius, averaging about 90 seconds. The benefits go beyond operating the drone from inside. "The DFR program, the Drones First Responder program, allows us to arrive on scene faster than patrol officers can get there," Enos said. The new drone was put to the test on March 31. "As we launch the drone, it was only a couple blocks from here. We were able to get eyes on that subject. He was leaving the scene on a bicycle and from there able to get patrol and direct patrol into where his location was," Enos explained. The department's goal is to have seven more launch pads to cover the city. "They'll be on the rooftop of fire stations, and we will be able to put those spread out equally across our city and seven locations to be able to give us our best, fastest response time at each location," he said.
