Unit Can Fly Anywhere In The Nation, Department Says

Drones have become part of the Grand Forks County (ND) Sheriff's Department toolkit, giving officers trained in their operation the ability to take them out on patrol.

The Bismarck Tribune relays information from a Sheriff's department news release indicating that the Northeast Region Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit can operate their aircraft anywhere in the country.

The sector added two drones to their fleet, bringing the total number to four. Procedures also changed so that the drones can be with the trained officers in patrol cars, rather than being dispatched to officers by request.

Now, officers can use the drones in a proactive rather than a reactive way, according to Sheriff’s Lt. B.J. Maxson, who oversees the Northeast Region UAS Unit.

The drones are also available to the Grand Forks and UND police departments. They will be used mostly on calls for service and not random patrols, the department said. They should help officers respond more quickly in situations such as missing children and to document disaster scenes.

Agencies using the drones must alert proper authorities, including the nearest airfield, of their intentions to fly, the release said.

(Image from Dragonfly news release)

FMI: Original report