Shoreline Police test drones to help with 911 responses

Skydio Drone

The King County Sheriff’s Office and Shoreline Police Department, in partnership with Skydio, are running a test for Drones as First Responders (DFR). The testing period is running now through September 28.

The purpose of this test is to see if a DFR program is a worthwhile investment.

The drones are activated when a dispatch comes in for a police response. The drones are often the first on the scene watching from above. The drone operator can then advise responding officers of the situation on the ground before they arrive. This can be especially important if Police are coming to a dangerous situation.

Drones can also respond to area checks for suspicious behavior prior to a patrol being dispatched. In some cases, the drone operators may determine that an in-person investigation isn’t necessary.

On the second day of tests, the drones flew 28 times and were the first on the scene 75% of the time. In 25% of those instances, they cleared the calls without the need for a patrol response.

The drones are not equipped with license plate readers and are not used for continual surveillance. They act as first responders and are used only to respond to calls that come through 911 dispatch.