Fountain Valley police get drone program off the ground
Fountain Valley has added an eye in the sky to its law enforcement capabilities, as the police department has begun incorporating the use of drones in its police work.
An unmanned aerial system was first introduced to departmental operations for fatal traffic incident reconstruction in January 2022.
The department currently has two qualified pilots for its unmanned aircraft systems in Sgt. Brian Mosher and Officer Anthony Clements.
The City Council accepted donations of $10,000 from the Fountain Valley Community Foundation and $4,000 from Hyundai Motor America in May that went toward the purchase of two DJI Mavic 3 Thermal Enterprise UAS drones. Having more than one drone available would ensure operational continuity, city officials said.
Benefits of a drone program include cost effectiveness, enhanced surveillance, and improved officer safety, Mosher told the council. Contrary to traditional aerial surveillance methods such as helicopters, the drones require less fuel and manpower, he said.
The unmanned aircraft systems come equipped with thermal imaging, and they are an asset in search-and-rescue operations. The aerial aids can also assist with the reconstruction of crime scenes.
Asked how close one would have to be to operate the device, Mosher noted that a drone’s flight is subject to regulations for operational safety.
“These things can fly 9 miles away, but with FAA restrictions, all our pilots have to be FAA certified,†Mosher said. “You have to be within line of sight as a government agency or a commercial pilot to be flying these. Not only are you flying, you have to have an observer with you, and that observer needs to have line of sight of that drone.â€
Residential privacy concerns came up before the City Council voted to accept the funds. Mayor Glenn Grandis asked what protections were in place.
“This drone is used for actual operations,†Mosher explained. “It’s not to just observe or surveil a random area. We’re going to be utilizing this drone in situations, as a suspect ran from a stolen vehicle when we’re looking for him. Probably a big one that we’ll be utilizing a lot is missing persons that are in the park or last seen in a residential tract. There is transparency with this because each flight will be tracked.â€
A drone on display inside council chambers then interrupted Mosher’s presentation with its communications capabilities, prompting him to turn off the device.
In order to become a drone operator, an officer must complete a four-day course and pass an FAA test. Mosher said the department is looking to train more officers to pilot its drone fleet, while Clements provided insight into the test that awaits those hoping to join the unmanned aircraft systems team.
“The requirements are similar to a regular pilot, what an airline pilot needs to know,†said Clements, who formerly served as the department’s traffic investigator and had an interest in using drones to document and reconstruct scenes. “You have to know the charts, the airport runways, the wayward side, the windward side, the different charts, so the test is pretty challenging. … It’s challenging, but it’s very rewarding.â€
Clements added that the department has two interior drones, as well as one each for mapping and training, respectively.
The drones have been put to use on various missions, including traffic collision documentation and in patrol.
“When you get to the scene, you see a [two-dimensional view] in front of you,†Clements said. “It’s hard to capture the totality of the circumstances. From the drone above, you get to really see the skids, directions of travel from both vehicles, points of rest. It’s a very good documenting tool, and it also geolocates different points using other software that we have.â€
“We were impressed that this program is going to be used to increase the efficiency of what the police do on a daily basis,†said Matt Taylor, president of the Fountain Valley Community Foundation. “It’s going to increase their safety in doing what they do, and it’s also going to help support citizens and the residents of Fountain Valley in our safety, as well.
“When you get something that is going to be efficient and help people do their jobs better, and their job is keeping us safe, that’s a pretty awesome win-win.â€
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