ICSO, ECPD considering drone use
EL CENTRO — A pair of local law enforcement agencies are in the process of implementing plans to use unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, for its operations.
The two agencies include the El Centro Police Department and the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, which are at different stages of their respective initiatives.
At the moment, the El Centro Police Department is soliciting public input in anticipation of its proposed plans to add UAVs to its operations.
The department is directing the public to provide comments via its Facebook page. Since its July 9 social media announcement publicizing the initiative, the department has generated dozens of comments from members of the community.
While a few community members expressed some concerns on Facebook about privacy and expenses, the vast majority of the public’s comments were in strong support of the initiative.
“Safety is top priority,” one such statement read. “I think it would be beneficial to the police department, citizens and the officers.”
Indeed, the department cited the added safety and operational benefits a UAV could have provided during a past incident where an armed man was suspected of hiding on the roof of a local business.
Although no subject was ultimately found, the situation had posed a heightened risk to responding officers, since the roof could solely be accessed from an interior ladder and a hatch.
“If you could imagine for a moment, had there truly been a suspect on the roof with a gun, the first thing they would have seen would be the officer’s head,” the department’s announcement stated.
“This could have been handled and mitigated by deploying a UAV to search the area of the roof, do so efficiently, and ensure the safety of the public and the officer,” the ECPD stated on its Facebook page.
The use of UAVs is also viewed as a cost-effective measure in comparison to the deployment of fixed-wing aircraft such as planes and helicopters.
The department’s announcement included assurances that any UAV deployment would have to adhere to departmental policy regulating its usage and data storage. Intended uses include area searches of buildings, large expanses, fenced-in areas, as well as evidence collection.
“It will not be used for random searching of areas which would otherwise be prohibited and protected constitutionally,” the ECPD stated.
Initial research has indicated the department would benefit from having a combination of both indoor and outdoor models, and potentially up to four total, said ECPD Cmdr. Aaron Reel in an email.
The program is projected to cost about $25,000 for equipment, permitting and training for personnel, the department stated on Facebook in response to a community member’s inquiry about costs.
Although funding sources have been discussed, no specific allocations have been made, Reel said.
As with any of the departments’ resources, the UAVs could also be made available for mutual aid requests from other public safety agencies, depending upon the circumstances and jurisdiction authority, Reel said.
“We would help outside agencies in the event an UAV was vital to the success and safety of personnel,” he stated.
Currently, there is no projected time frame by which ECPD is anticipating the implementation of its UAV component. That deployment is dependent on the availability of officers for training, as well as permitting requirements, Reel said.
For now, public input is being welcomed until the end of the month. Those interested can leave a comment accompanying the department’s announcement of its proposed UAV program on July 9.
“Good, bad or indifferent, we would like to know what you think,” the department’s announcement stated.
In comparison, the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office stands ready to deploy its UAVs at the appropriate moment.
This comes after months of preparations, testing and training, said ICSO Lt. Jimmy Duran.
Part of the process involved getting Federal Aviation Administration approval to operate the agency’s UAVs as a law enforcement agency, Duran said.
A total of nine deputies were trained to pilot the UAVs, as were three members of the local non-profit volunteer group De Anza Rescue Unit.
Like ECPD, the agency’s intended UAV uses include searches of expansive and challenging terrain that may pose safety risks to personnel, Duran said.
“It also allows us to cover a lot more ground on foot,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Office, too, is offering public assurances that the technology will be strictly deployed in accordance with its policy regulating UAV usage and data storage. That policy is undergoing final revisions and review but will require that each deployment be documented.
“The policy is made to ensure transparency for the public,” Duran said. “We want to make sure the public understands the program is of benefit to the community and that we are looking out for privacy rights.”
Though ICSO is awaiting some additional equipment, it is ready to deploy its UAVs, the total number of which Duran chose not to disclose out of concern for the agency’s operational integrity.
The majority of the expenses associated with the agency’s UAV program was borne by grants, the De Anza Rescue Unit and the non-profit Imperial County Reserve Deputy Sheriff Unit, Duran said.