EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
June 13, 2025
CONTACT
Jill Green, Redmond Police Department Public Information Officer
jgreen@redmond.gov
425-556-2627
Redmond Police Department Recognized for Drone as First Responder Program
REDMOND, WA - The Redmond Police Department was recently awarded a Letter of Recognition by the Washington State Law Enforcement Drone Association (LEDA) for the department’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) program. The award recognized the department’s commitment to safety and the great impact the DFR program has had on the drone community.
The department launched the DFR program in April 2024, becoming the first full-time DFR program in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. Under the leadership of Chief Darrell Lowe, the DFR team has demonstrated outstanding performance and efficiency in integrating drones into their daily operations.
“We are proud to be leaders in public safety innovation and technology and will continue to enhance and expand the program in our commitment to public safety,” Chief Lowe said.
This cutting-edge technology has been instrumental in locating suspects and providing live visuals for incidents involving armed individuals, shoplifters, DUIs, missing persons, and traffic collisions.
LEDA highlighted a successful DFR deployment in their recognition letter. On November 13, 2024, RPD responded to a call about a man with a gun at an apartment complex. A DFR was quickly deployed to provide aerial visuals of the man and his actions for patrol units on the ground. With the assistance of a 911 telecommunicator, the DFR pilot was able to confirm the subject had complied with disarming himself and avoided a potentially dangerous situation.
DFR pilots can deploy a drone within seconds and arrive on scene for most calls in under 90 seconds. In 19% of cases, drone responses have canceled patrol units, allowing officers to remain available for other emergencies.
Since its inception, DFR pilots have responded to 813 calls. For more information about the DFR program, visit https://www.redmond.gov/2172/Drone-Program-Dashboard.
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