Thanks to a COVID Relief Grant, the Town of Greece was able to obtain funding for the Greece Police Department (GPD), to launch an Emergency Response Drone Program. Three specialized police drones were purchased in late 2021. Officer Wild of GPD, took the necessary courses to became a certified Drone Pilot during the winter of 2022. According to Officer Wild, “Police drones are becoming increasingly more popular, but less than 20% of NYS police agencies have this type of technology.” In 2020, 347 law enforcement agencies in forty-three states were using drones to assist officers in the field. The number is growing, drones are proving to be a timely and cost effective tool that can help police agencies protect their communities.
Police drones can be used in a variety of settings to help fight crime, and to keep communities safe. With a quicker ‘real time’ response in vital situations, and the ability to keep officers safe by providing added situational awareness, drones have proven their effectiveness
Police agencies around the country are using drones for search and rescue, traffic accident reconstruction, investigations of crime scenes and active shooter type calls, as well as to assist the K9 unit, and local fire departments. According to Officer Wild, Greece Police Drone Team pilot, “Drones can help the Greece community with calls on the water like, abandoned water vessels, missing boaters, potential drownings, finding missing children, hikers and vulnerable adults.” With the use of the drones, the response time is much more efficient compared to traditional methods like police helicopters. Drones also significantly reduce the costs associated with search and rescue. The cost to bring in a Police Air Service helicopter can exceed $500 per hour. “Drones can be especially helpful in locating missing people in wooded areas,” said Wild. They are very efficient in accident scenes, giving a bird’s eye view and accident reconstruction using specialized software. This cuts down evidence collection time, and gets roads reopened sooner.
Monroe County Sheriff Department (MCSD), began a Drone Response Team in their Special Operations Police Bureau in 2019. They expanded in 2021 with two full time Drone Pilots. They have eight drones and have been successfully using them in search and rescue calls, fire calls and on crime scenes. Deputy Whiting of the MCSD Drone Response Team has been involved with many successful outcomes using drone technology. According to Whiting, “The drone helped locate a missing elderly person in Perinton much faster than we could of otherwise. The MCSD Drone Response Team is also used to assist fire districts. The Brockport Fire Department worked with the MCSD Drone Response Team during the Viking Way fire that took place last year. This winter, with the help of the MCSD Drone Team, stranded snowmobiles were guided safely off the canal after a person fell through the ice.”
Officer Wild pointed out that there could be some privacy concerns associated with the use of drones in law enforcement agencies. All drone use, including police drone use, is regulated by the FAA. Misconceptions lead to concerns and fear of the technology that greatly benefits community safety. There are general orders in police drone usage that protect citizens privacy. “The use is tightly regulated by the FAA, and there are strict policies and rules on how and where a police drone can be used,” Wild said.
Greece Police welcome the opportunity to communicate with the community about the drone program, and ensure citizens that police drones are used to help protect and serve.
