Drone Usage For 911 Response Growing
MOBILE, Ala.
By Rick McCann
January 31, 2025
Another vital piece of technology that has garnered a lot of attention by both law enforcement and the fire service during the past five years are drones.
Though often thought of as a hobby item, instead of a tool in the toolbox of public safety, they continue to gain recognition for their flexibility, and many uses from lifesaving to overwatch and security assignments at large outdoor events, searching for lost children or tracking wanted suspects.
Drones are commonplace these days used by professionals and amateurs, photographers, realtors and yes, the military.
Drones have been used by both the British and American military since the early 1900’s and was introduced for recreational use in the 1960’s.
But they’ve since grown up and been deployed to deliver heavier payloads such as groceries, medical supplies and life vests to people who are drowning.
And now, many law enforcement departments see drones as a “force multiplier.”
Dozens of police agencies, including some right here in Alabama, are getting an eye in the sky by sending a drone to many different types of 911 calls. Drones can help officers assess the scene before they arrive, which can improve response times and outcomes. They can feed “real-time” video to responding officers and the communications center so that officers can see what’s happening, or what’s not happening at the site of the 911 emergency.
Having the drone take flight to the scene first can aid in better understanding if there is a real emergency and provide other information such as how many armed offenders are on-scene and if more officers need to be dispatched or is it a fire, and the fire department needs to respond.
Drones have been in use by law enforcement in the U.S. for more than twenty years. Primarily the use has been searching for lost people or security at events, but their uses now have become much more than that.
Law enforcement across the country now instantly dispatch a drone to 911 calls as a primary responder as officers are in-route.
This is accomplished through a series of “docking stations” which are placed strategically throughout a city or county.
A drone docking station allows a drone to autonomously land on a designated platform, where it automatically recharges its battery, transfers collected data to a central server, and prepares for its next flight, essentially enabling continuous operation without manual intervention; this process usually involves a combination of visual sensors, GPS, and precise landing mechanisms to ensure the drone accurately docks and connects to power and data transfer points within the station
The Tuscaloosa police are one of the first in the state to use their drones to respond to emergency calls, solve crimes, protect officers and citizens and be part of the first responder team.
Tuscaloosa Police Department launched the $1.2 million drone program recently and has some drones housed at docking stations across the city, and once a crime is reported, they are deployed to the scene. They can arrive in less than four minutes.
We’re going to be able to have 24-hour coverage with the cyber unit at the Tuscaloosa Police Department as well as 24-hour coverage with the drones a department spokesperson stated.
Most drones currently in Alabama are used primarily for searches but that is about to change as police agencies continue to have to do more with less. Less budget, less staff, less resources.
Technology, from license plate readers, gunshot detection devices, drones and facial recognition are all tools in the war on crime.
Violent crimes continue to rise nationwide while the number of law enforcement officers have declined by over twenty percent over the past ten years, which escalated during the defund the police protests.
When used properly, legally and skillfully, technology will always be a game changer for its users.
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