Des Moines Police to explore new ‘Drone as First Response’ program

The Des Moines Police Department announced this week that it has significantly expanded its Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) “Drone” Program, thanks to support from city administration and the community.

The program now includes six FAA Part-107 certified pilots and a fleet of ten drones, two of which are equipped with thermal imaging capabilities.

Police said that the department’s drone program provides an affordable and effective method to enhance public safety, de-escalate tense situations, and offer real-time situational awareness. This technology allows officers to make more informed decisions and improve their effectiveness on the street. Strict policies are in place to protect individual rights and privacy.

So far this year, drones have been used on 27 missions, including:

• Search and Rescue (Missing Persons)
• Carjacked Vehicle Tracking
• Burglary In-Progress
• Fire Department Assist
• Felony Order Violation
• Evidence Searches
• Code Enforcement
• Wanted Felon Tracking
• Fatal Crash Scene Mapping

Looking ahead, the department aims to explore the “Drone as First Response” program, recently adopted by the Redmond Police Department. This initiative has shown promising results in reducing response times and minimizing the need for police officer deployment.

“We truly appreciate your continued support as we all work together to make Des Moines a safe place to live, work and visit,” police said.