Area law enforcement agencies will be flying high this spring, thanks to new drone technology.
Public safety officials are using drones more and more to assist in a wide-variety of circumstances. Drones are used to investigate road collisions, support criminal investigations, monitor high crime neighborhoods or civil unrest, search for lost individuals, or track fleeing suspects.
Perrysburg Township and the city of Rossford will be getting a drone for their police and fire departments in the spring. Toledo police will also get one around the same time.
“We have a signed contract,” said Lt. Paul Davis, spokesman for the Toledo Police Department.
Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle said the department will be getting a drone for free this year as part of a test pilot program.
“Getting officers appropriate resources and technologies will go a long way to helping solve crime,” the chief said. “We want to continue to expand and hopefully bring in the drone as a first responder.”
Drones can be immediately deployed to a location, assess the scene, and gather useful data before police arrive.