“Police drones” can conjure images of Big Brother looking through your window or watching from above as people go about their days. That’s not the case, but it can be difficult to overcome that image. 

The public’s relationship with police departments is a major talking point in the U.S., and despite the increasing popularity of drones in police service, public perception remains a persistent issue. 

Bellingham, a rainy city in the northwest corner of Washington State, faced and overcame this exact situation. The Bellingham Police Department, a force of about 100 officers serving about 90,000 citizens, received significant public scrutiny when it started its drone program. 

Police departments use drones nationwide for crash site reconstruction, overwatch, search and rescue, and more. When the BPD started its program, it had a limited scope of application. 

“It was very restrictive,” Officer Jeffery Yoder said. “We had to overcome some issues with perception with the city council and the mayor’s office as to how we were going to implement the use of UAVs at our department.” 

Missing person cases, K-9 overwatch, and searches for escaped felons were some of the only missions their drones could be used for. 

Despite the restrictions, the program proved its value. Counter to the “scary” perception of police drones, BPD’s drones proved useful in de-escalating situations, particularly during K-9 searches. Drones are often deployed to aid dogs and their handlers in searching for suspects and watching for unseen risks. 

Yoder explained that drones can be used to spot suspects to track their movements ahead of or in conjunction with K-9 teams. Other officers can head off fleeing suspects and apprehend them without force. 

“With that, the potential for dog bites is greatly reduced because we’re able to direct assets…and we’re able to set up a perimeter and use less lethal means if the person does not want to give up, rather than letting the dog have a bite,” Yoder said. 

This is valuable in both avoiding uses of force and avoiding liability. 

With examples like this, the drone program slowly proved itself to the public. Images and 3D models generated by drones were well-liked in court cases as evidence. The department also used Pix4D’s mapping capabilities to investigate a fire that burned down several buildings on one of Bellingham’s high-traffic streets. 

The program really proved itself when city hall staff saw drones in action firsthand. 

People at a homeless encampment outside city hall had started to cause problems for the public. Police were needed to escort city hall workers in order to keep them safe, and eventually the department decided to clear out the encampment. The mayor and city council were able to watch real-time drone footage of the operation. 

“That’s where it clicked, the potential for what [drones] provide, and the benefits of it,” Yoder said. “So after that, we really started pushing to expand our policy.” 

Now, drone operators have greater discretion regarding when to deploy their aircraft. 

Accountability and Transparency

The hardware add-ons to BPD’s EVO II Enterprise drones have provided more than just tactical benefits--they’ve also increased police transparency, which helps their public perception and legal accountability.

During an instance where a suspect was barricaded in a hotel room, BPD used the EVO II Enterprise’s loudspeaker to communicate with the suspect without endangering officers. As a secondary benefit, commands broadcast through the drone were clearly heard by people in the vicinity. 

“Everyone can hear police communications,” Yoder said. “So when you talk about mitigating lawsuits, if you’re hearing, ‘hey you’re under arrest, come out with your hands up don’t bring any weapons’…and it’s broadcast and many other people can hear it, there’s no confusion as to ‘well, they never told me that,’ when you have witnesses who heard it over the loudspeaker.”

The EVO II Enterprise’s spotlights are used when recording drone operations and are useful for navigating during lowlight flights. The strobe is used for most other missions--Bellingham is overcast for most of the year, so increasing visibility is a valuable tool. 

The Right Tool for the Times

BPD currently has six certified operators and ten drones. They’re planning to distribute them in different patrol areas across the city to facilitate rapid deployment. Yoder also said that they’d like to acquire a vehicle dedicated to displaying and streaming footage, though this is dependent on budgeting. 

The program has proven its value, keeping officers, citizens, and even suspects safe, while also providing evidence and increased transparency to courts, policymakers, and the public. 

“In this day and age,” Yoder said. “Things that we can do to reduce liability and mitigate instances of use of force are good.” 

To learn more about Autel’s solutions or read more stories about their uses, check out our case study about the Nebraska State Patrol, or our product page on the EVO II Enterprise that BPD has put to such good use.