Having the best tools available to get a job done can make all the difference. For law enforcement and emergency agencies in the United States, drones have become just that tool to take operations to the next level. When the Federal Aviation Administration designated the Chula Vista Police Department in southern California as a pilot drone program in 2015, a new path for law enforcement possibilities opened up. Today, there are thousands of police and emergency departments across the country that have been reaping the benefits of drone technology. Still, there have been many hurdles in the establishment of drones in the hands of law enforcement agencies.

One of the biggest hurdles has been insuring the public that drones will be used to help and protect them without encroaching on civil liberties. It is no secret that the military uses drones to spy on their enemies. However, law enforcement agencies in the United States do not see the communities they serve as enemies, but rather their neighbors. Every law enforcement agency with a drone program has to follow strict rules that protect civilian privacy laws. In upholding these regulations, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) requires agencies within the state to provide detailed reports on drone operations. As the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s bureau in charge of criminal investigations, the BCA is responsible for providing expert forensic science and investigative services throughout the state.

In a state law enacted this past August, police and emergency departments with a drone program need to submit a report to the BCA detailing each drone operation. The details are to include cost expenditure, the nature of the operation, and whether or not a search warrant was issued. In addition, the law requires departments to publish all drone policies on their website for public view. The reports submitted to the BCA will also be made available to the public for total transparency. The 2020 report was recently submitted and will be published by June 15, 2021. The BCA received reports from 106 separate agencies in Minnesota detailing how drones were used throughout 2020.

While the purpose of the report is to keep the public well informed and hold police officers accountable for their actions, Major Jeff Storms of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said that the report protects the departments who have come to rely on drones daily. “We tried to stay above board and be very transparent,” he said. “Our biggest fear was having something taken away from us that has been so useful.” By knowing that they need to report drone use, the department’s drone operators are always aware of what they can and cannot do. And by sticking to state regulations, law agencies have the opportunity to maintain their drone programs.

Many law enforcement agencies developed their drone programs with help from the American Civil Liberties Union to prove that drones can be used for good by police officers. Officers in Minnesota and the rest of the United States have been using drones in search and rescue missions, to gather situational awareness in life threatening situations, to reconstruct crime scenes, and much more. These inexpensive drones are replacing outdated aerial tools such as helicopters. Though there are some situations that helicopters are still useful, they cost millions of dollars and can’t get to a scene as quickly as a drone can.

Crow Wing County Sheriff Scott Goddard went on to explain that drones with infrared capabilities can outperform helicopters, an especially important factor when carrying out a search and rescue mission. He gave an example of how the department’s drone operator was able to locate a duck hunter stranded in Rice Lake in the Hesitation Wildlife Management Area. In about 10-15 minutes the drone had found the man in his disabled boat and safely returned him to dry land. “That’s capability that we have never had in the past,” Sheriff Goddard said. “Even beyond I’d say what some helicopters have.”

As a spokeswoman for BCA, Jill Oliveira said that officials are in the process of reviewing the reports on drone usage for the year. Their goal is to make sure that each drone operation was used within law compliance. Based on initial findings, some Minnesotian law agencies use their drones weekly, a testament to how beneficial drones can be in law enforcement. In response to the need for supplying the reports, Sherrif Goddard said he understands why they are needed. “It’s kind of making sure that we’re correctly regulating those type of issues, because it’s all good work until someone does something wrong and then all of a sudden everyone is accountable for that,” he said. “I think we’ve done a good job.”