Watch: How drones, robots are helping fight crime in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND (WJW) – Video released to the FOX 8 I-Team shows state troopers arresting a suspected murderer after searching the inside of a house with a drone.

The I-Team has found the Ohio State Highway Patrol using drones and robots to fight crime like never before.

In fact, at least twice recently, the technology has helped as investigators narrowed in on suspected killers.

Tuesday, state troopers used a chopper to track a suspect. Then, they arrested a man wanted for murder , hiding on Cleveland’s east side inside a vacant house. They found him by searching the building with a drone.

“Oh, it’s life-saving when you think about having to risk sending one of our officers in there,” Sgt. John Beeler said.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol demonstrated for the I-Team how troopers have gone high-tech taking back the streets.

They showed us a little drone can search a house, going room-to-room, even flying under tables. The drone sends video to troopers outside.

In fact, the highway patrol used a drone in May at an apartment complex after investigators found the suspected killer of Euclid police officer Jacob Derbin. Investigators say that suspect even fired shots at law enforcement drones.

“Our goal with everything is, obviously, to find the safest resolution in solving the problem. And, all these tools give us one more capability,” Sgt. Beeler added.

We also saw how a robot gives troopers another way to look at what they otherwise would not be able to see.

“It has multiple different capabilities. Has multiple cameras. You can see ‘360’ around it,” said trooper Colin Acciavatti, showing the robot. “The claw is probably the number one feature of this entire robot. It allows us to open doors or drag items or people from an incident.”

Troopers can also speak through the robot to ask questions or give commands, and they can hear what’s going on wherever the robot may be roaming.

“So you can go in there and gather intelligence and still communicate with those people,” trooper Acciavatti said.

In a rescue situation, troopers can tell someone help is on the way.

At FOX 8, we use drones to help gather the news.

Many police agencies have started using drones, but we’ve reported that Cleveland police still do not use drones. The city’s plans have been bogged down for more than two years in red tape.

The highway patrol is using some of the most advanced technology. An outdoor drone can fly high in the air, but from far away, zoom in for a close-up view of something as small as a badge.

“Technology behind the drones and the robots is ever changing, but we try to stay on top of it as much as we can,” Sgt. Beeler said.

The drones and robots now can go almost anywhere and do a lot more than you might think. Again, even help find a suspected killer hiding in a house.

Sgt. Bridget Matt described that case in an email:

“On 7/23/24, troopers were working in partnership with the Cleveland Division of Police for the Violent Crime Reduction Initiative in the City of Cleveland.  At approximately 1:47 p.m., troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a silver Chevrolet Equinox that was reported as stolen and recently used in an aggravated robbery on Kinsman Avenue near E. 130 ^th Street. The suspect vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued. Shortly after, OSHP’s Aviation got overhead and took over monitoring the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle was tracked to Phillips Avenue near Lakeview Avenue, where the suspect exited the vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded area near Osceola Avenue. Troopers and Cleveland Police Officers secured the area as they searched for the suspect.

“ At approximately 3:19 p.m., the suspect was located inside an abandoned residence at 12424 Osceola Avenue and taken into custody by OSHP’s Special Response Team without incident. The suspect will be incarcerated at the Cuyahoga County Jail and his identity will be determined through fingerprinting.

“ The male suspect has been identified as Nicole N. Cunigan Jr., 32, Dayton. Cunigan was found to have an active felony warrant for his arrest for murder out of the Dayton Police Department.”

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