The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office is pioneering new frontiers in public safety technology with its growing fleet of drones. At the Tuesday, June 18 County Board of Commissioners meeting, Sheriff Shawn Larsen and Sergeants John DeCock and Dan Rocheleau provided an in-depth look at the program transforming operations.
The department currently operates four drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for missions across the county’s 1,125.1 square miles. Flagship models include the DJI Mavic 2 Pro Enterprise, known for its powerful zoom and thermal imaging sensors, and the DJI Matrice M30T, which can reach speeds of up to 50.3 mph and can have speakers or a spotlight mounted to it. The Sheriff’s Office also owns a third, older UAV, which is primarily used for training exercises.
Each drone is an expensive investment but pays dividends through expanded capabilities. As DeCock noted, even one operator can now accomplish tasks that previously required large teams in the field for hours.
“They’re fairly expensive pieces of equipment, but when you consider the manpower it would take for one person with one drone to do it, we’ll see quickly that it pays for itself,” DeCock said.
Beyond search and rescue, drones are regularly deployed for accident documentation to pinpoint injuries from above and map crash scenes. During a recent disaster, footage alerted first responders to hazards before road access. The technology also aids monitoring of floods, fires and other emergencies.
Another primary use of these drones is scene documentation. As an example, DeCock showed two photos of the same area as taken from above by a drone, one with a standard camera and one with a thermal imaging camera. The first photo looked like a normal shot of trees and grass, but the second showed that hidden underneath the trees was a piece of machinery. This machinery happened to have been stolen.
DeCock said if the Sheriff’s Office had not had access to this drone, it might have taken much longer to find the stolen machinery, if it was found at all.
To demonstrate the lifesaving capabilities of these UAVs, DeCock ended his presentation by sharing a case study in which a young boy from Sherburne County, Ethan Haus, had gone missing with his dog for more than 10 hours. After finding a footprint in the area, a group of over 600 volunteers came to search for Haus and his dog. However, only one person was able to find them.
DeCock said that person then used a DJI thermal drone to search the area from the sky, and at 1:50 a.m., Haus and his dog were found unharmed.
“He was in the field alone for 10 hours. If he had spent the night there, I don’t know what would have happened,” DeCock said. “Again, some of this stuff is very expensive. But if you have one case like that, it’s well worth it.”
Training remains key as technologies evolve. The Sheriff’s Office’s five pilots undergo FAA licensure and monthly drills to hone skills year-round. A public demonstration at the 2024 Morrison County Fair showcased drones’ community benefits to a wider audience.
As UAV use grows nationwide, Morrison County’s program will continue pioneering new applications of this emerging tool for protecting public safety.
Sheriff’s Office updates Board on investigation methods
The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office is grappling with the growing complexity of criminal investigations in the digital age, as was discussed during the same Board meeting.
Larsen, DeCock and Rocheleau detailed how modern investigations now rely heavily on digital evidence, requiring new skills and resources from law enforcement. DeCock noted that 90% of cases now involve analyzing data from suspects’ cell phones, social media and other digital sources.
This shift has placed new demands on investigators, who must now execute search warrants to obtain and sift through massive amounts of digital data. DeCock described one recent case involving a serious crime where they had to analyze over 36,000 pages of Facebook Messenger conversations to build a case.
“When do these guys have time to steal anything?” said Commissioner Greg Blaine, taken aback by the number of messages the criminals had sent.
The Sheriff’s Office has also begun using advanced techniques like “geofence warrants” to track suspects’ movements through cell phone location data. This digital evidence can provide crucial links between suspects and crime scenes.
However, the influx of digital data has created a significant workload for the department’s limited investigative staff. DeCock suggested the county consider hiring civilian investigative analysts to help process and analyze the digital evidence, freeing up deputies to focus on other aspects of the investigations.
The Sheriff’s Office discussion highlighted the challenges law enforcement faces in adapting to the digital age of criminal investigations. As technology continues to evolve, the department will need to find innovative ways to leverage new tools and resources to effectively solve crimes in Morrison County.
Sheriff’s Office educates Board on legal ATV, UTV use
During the same meeting, the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office also sounded the alarm on the growing public safety concerns surrounding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) in the region.
Larsen, DeCock and Rocheleau detailed the alarming trend of ATV and UTV-related accidents and fatalities they have been responding to across Central Minnesota. Blaine expressed particular worry about the lack of safety regulations for these vehicles on public roads, compared to the strict rules governing standard automobiles.
The Sheriff’s Office recently met with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to address the issue, as the number of registered ATVs and UTVs has skyrocketed in recent years, reaching over 450,000 statewide in Minnesota. Larsen and his team emphasized the need for increased education and enforcement to ensure ATV and UTV operators understand and follow the laws, which vary depending on the type of vehicle and the roads they are using.
Although ATVs are generally restricted to ditches and cannot be driven on state highways, the rules for UTVs, which are larger and faster, are more complex. Commissioners expressed concern about the liability issues for law enforcement when these vehicles are involved in accidents on public roads, as well as the strain on resources required to patrol and respond to incidents.
Moving forward, the Sheriff’s Office plans to work closely with the DNR and other agencies to enhance public awareness and safety around ATV and UTV use. This may include increased enforcement, safety training programs and potential changes to local regulations to better protect Morrison County residents. As the popularity of these recreational vehicles continues to grow, officials are determined to find solutions to address the mounting public safety concerns.
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