DENVER (KDVR) — Drones: It seems their uses are nearly endless, and the Lakewood Police Department is now using the technology to respond to some calls for service.
The police department recorded a video message that was posted to social media channels on Tuesday, introducing the program. Lakewood Police Chief Philip Smith said the technology is still in the testing phase, but “is showing great promise towards the goal of augmenting our already efficient Lakewood police response to service calls.”
TJ Jacobson, sergeant of the Real-Time Crime Center and Technology Unit for Lakewood police, shared more specific details about the program, which he said has been in a pilot phase for about three months.
“When we receive a citizen-generated call for service, the drone will often arrive before or in conjunction with our agents on the ground, providing an early assessment of the scene,” Jacobson said in the Lakewood police video. “This provides our agents with real-time situational updates before they arrive on scene. While on a call, the drone will provide continuous coverage within the city to support law enforcement. This keeps our agents safer, while also providing an eye in the sky to assist in the apprehension of criminals.”
Jacobson added that the drones can also support de-escalation work, large city events through crowd and traffic monitoring, and assist in locating suspects, signs of fire and missing people.
He also addressed whether the police department can use the drones for general surveillance in the city.
“Our drones cannot and will not be used for general surveillance of individuals or groups without a specific authorized purpose, such as a 911 call,” Jacobson said. “This targeted approach helps us ensure that the drones are used solely for enhancing emergency response, not for routine monitoring.
“Additionally, drones may be used only for official governmental purposes, not for personal entertainment or non-law enforcement purposes,” Jacobson added. “Privately owned drones may not be used for any Lakewood Police Department mission.”
He also noted that while in use, the drones are required to record video of what it is doing. The videos, similar to body-worn camera footage, can be requested through public records requests.
“Our drones as first responders program is already showing fantastic results,” Jacobson said. “During our three-month pilot program, the drone responded to 640 total calls. Of those, 248 were able to be cleared without needing a patrol agent’s response. This is freeing up our patrol agents to attend to more emergent calls for service faster and more efficiently.”
The agency said that 77% of the time, the drone was able to be on scene before officers. The drone also played a direct role in over 60 assisted arrests.
“Most often, this means the drone was able to locate a suspect and relay to our agents on the ground as to their exact whereabouts,” Jacobson said. “This program will provide comprehensive coverage throughout Lakewood, significantly benefiting both our residents and first responders.”
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