DRPS takes to the skies
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
The Durham Regional Police are boosting their evidence collection efforts into the 21st century as the police force looks to incorporate the use of drones into their repertoire.
As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones have become more widespread, many police forces have been investigating the feasibility of implementing the technology into their operations. The DRPS have been looking into the possibility for two years now, and in December 2016, the force purchased an Aeryon Sky Ranger, a drone worth $132,000.
“The main purpose of this UAV would be to assist with missing persons,” said Chief Paul Martin during a recent meeting of the Police Services Board.
According to a recent report, the drone will be assigned to the Patrol Support unit and also be implemented for use in cases that require “rapid deployment of resources in an effort to preserve life”, for accident reconstruction, or in the event when rapid evidence gathering is required due to the threat of contamination or loss.
A single officer from Forensic Identification Services has also been trained on the new UAV.
“The primary role of this position is the preservation and collection of evidence at the scene of major investigations,” the report reads. “The application of the UAV will allow for rapid deployment and almost immediate recordings of the scene and any associated evidence.”
A number of other DRPS officers have also been trained on the use of the UAV, and pending licensing approval from Transport Canada, DRPS plan to deploy the drone for operation beginning in July.
It’s also envisioned that the UAV could come in handy for other police purposes including crowd observations, hazardous materials scenes and tactical support unit operations. These sorts of uses are set to be explored after the first year of operations.
New regulations from the federal government put strict regulations on drones, including where the UAVs are allowed to be flown.
For the DRPS, a special certification and numerous hours of training were required to move ahead with the licensing, including UAV pilot ground training, and training with Aeryon Labs, the maker of the drone. The licence applications are expected to be sent by the end of this month.