Police in Montgomery County, Maryland, are piloting a drone program that puts the technology to use in a new way: Using a drone as a first responder just ahead of, but in tandem, with police.
“We are pre-positioning a drone on top of a roof in a location — in this case downtown Silver Spring — and when a 911 call comes in, a drone will be dispatched along with officers on the ground,” explained Cpt. Jason Cokinos, director of the Special Operations Division for the police department.
The goal, he told WTOP, is for the drone to get to the scene first, “to provide real-time information to officers who are responding.”
Cokinos said the drones can help with de-escalation and can help evaluate whether police need to remain on the scene or whether they can be redirected to another call.
In regards to how the drones help in de-escalation, Cpt. Marc Yamada related a call reporting suspicious activity by someone, possibly with a firearm, behind a strip mall.
He said in that case, the drone was deployed and detected an object — but it wasn’t a gun. It was a cigarette lighter.
“It changed the dynamics of the call incredibly — for everyone” Yamada said.
Cokinos was asked about public response to the use of drones.
Overall, he said, “We’ve done outreach at the county fair, at the public safety day, National Night Out. People are actually intrigued, they think it’s pretty cool. They like it.”
However, “We’ve had some good questions of concern” regarding surveillance.
Something he says the police department policy does not allow.
“Once they understand our polices and that we don’t do that, people feel more comfortable,” he said.
While sending drones out to collect surveillance information is not allowed in the policy, the drones can be dispatched if there’s a call for police to respond to a variety of settings, including public gatherings.
But again, Cokinos stressed, that would be to respond to a report of a crime or violence, not simply to conduct surveillance.
The pilot expires on June 30, 2024.
Cokinos said: “We’re hoping the pilot will show enough success that the community and everybody will want to continue it.”
But he added that will be a fiscal decision to be made at a later date.
The county recently approved a $350,000 supplemental item in the budget for the program.
Lt. Doug Miller, the deputy director of special operations who leads the unmanned aircraft systems program, explained the drones are operated in coordination, and under FAA regulations, and are permitted to fly at a maximum of 400 feet — a ceiling that could be deviated from in emergencies but not without consultation with the FAA.
