By Joanna Putman
Police1
ARLINGTON, TX — When Arlington 911 received a call about a man angrily waving a gun in a parking lot, officers prepared for a high-risk response, according to the Arlington Report.
Instead of immediately dispatching armed units, the Arlington Police Department sent a drone to assess the situation. The drone’s camera quickly revealed the man was holding a cellphone, not a gun, significantly altering the police’s approach.
This incident highlights how drones are transforming law enforcement in Arlington, according to the report. Sgt. Robert Robertson, head of the Arlington Police Department’s Aviation Unit, oversees the program, which includes 39 trained officers and eight patrol vehicles equipped with drones.
“We use drones for all kinds of operations that are potentially dangerous to human life: apprehending fugitives, supporting SWAT incidents, target hardening, homeland security, locating missing people, AMBER alerts, SILVER alerts, missing children, disaster assessment, post-tornadoes and a great deal more,” Robertson told Arlington Report. “It’s really crazy to see how it’s completely changed our approaches.”
Since acquiring its first drone in 2013, the department’s use of the technology has expanded rapidly, with over 1,100 flights conducted last year alone, according to the report. Drones offer a cheaper alternative to traditional police helicopters, costing only $10 per hour to operate compared to $700 for manned aircraft.
“One takeaway that I want residents to know is that putting robots in dangerous situations saves human lives, and that’s really the core principle and the mission objective of the aviation program,” Robertson said.
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