The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has announced the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval of the Department’s use of an unmanned aircraft system.
In a press conference Thursday, January 12, 2017, at the Hall of Justice, Sheriff Jim McDonnell announced recent approval from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorities for the use of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in specifically defined incidents which include: Search and rescue, explosive ordnance detection, hazardous materials incidents, disaster response, arson fires, hostage rescue, and barricaded, armed suspects.
The vertically-mobile, remotely-controlled, flying tool with an on-board video camera is assigned to the Special Enforcement Bureau, where it will be the most beneficial to units under its umbrella, including the Emergency Services Detail, Special Enforcement Detail, Arson/Explosives Detail, and the HazMat Detail.
Having such a versatile tool will soon prove to be a great asset because it can be quickly deployed and provide close up views of outlying subjects. The ability to rapidly gather otherwise inaccessible, yet vital, information during tactical operations is exponentially increased and can, thus, assist deputies to better determine the safest, most prudent and humane approaches to uncertain, isolated or hostile situations.
A key group of deputies were trained to operate the UAS and each one received a Remote Pilot certificate with a small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) rating from the FAA. The UAS can be deployed in tactical situations such as active shooter incidents and hostage situations to better protect the public. Deputy personnel also trained as tactical medics can use the UAS to remotely assess injured patients and provide them with rapid medical care.
Although inclement weather prevented a dynamic demonstration of the UAS’s capabilities, it remained an impressive static display, accompanied by a video presentation. Special Enforcement Bureau Captain Jack Ewell stood by Sheriff McDonnell at the event, along with the specially trained deputy personnel who will operate the system, integrated to aid in the safety of all.
“The dangers of law enforcement can never be eliminated,” said Sheriff McDonnell. “However, this technology can assist us in reducing the impact of risks on personnel and allow us to perform operations to enhance public safety.”
“We are continuing to raise the bar as a leader in law enforcement and always looking for ways to do the job better,” he said.
An example of tactically sound leverage the UAS will bring, is the ability to provide an aerial view during suspicious device calls. This will greatly assist Bomb Squad personnel to safely assess from a remote location one of the near-600 suspicious or unattended package/device calls they investigate annually.
The UAS can provide vital, life-preserving assistance in deployments to the approximate-125 annual HazMat Detail response operations. This invaluable machinery can operate in contaminated areas, and provide information needed to safeguard the area and the surrounding community.
Fire scenes can be viewed remotely using the UAS prior to personnel entering a burn area, to assist in determining the origin of the fire, when it is safe to enter the fire area and if there are any unseen victims. Arson/Explosives Detail investigators respond to an average of 500 calls per year and the UAS will certainly prove itself indispensable in these types of incidents.
Search and Rescue personnel respond to over 500 search and rescue operations each year; many in treacherous terrain. Despite their skilled capabilities, deployment between large trees and into precarious canyon areas too small or dangerous for aircraft. The UAS can be effectively employed in this type of operation to locate and remotely assess injured patients.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department continues to evaluate and engage various tools of technology in a perpetual endeavor to improve safety for personnel and members of the public, increase our operational efficiency and raise our level of service to the residents in the communities we serve. The new Unmanned Aircraft System is the latest example of this commitment in our Tradition of Service.
[Interior Dept.] - To address the growing problem of unmanned aircraft systems impeding wildland firefighting efforts, the U.S. Department of the Interior and industry partners activated a prototype warning system that provides real-time alerts and geofencing alarms to prevent drone pilots from interfering with firefighting operations. “This pilot project makes…
[KHTS] - Firefighters have had to ground aircraft while battling brush fires, and Santa Clarita Valley residents have reported invasion of privacy, both causing an uproar against drones. The city of Santa Clarita’s municipal code states in section 14.06.210 E, “No person shall operate in any park any model airplane, boat,…
Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
This all sounds like it will be a wonderful public safety tool. However, I think it is a scary thing to have drones in our skies based on errors made by operators overseas. I would have felt better if there had been something in the announcement that ensured privacy and public safety from errors.
More privacy violations when will it ever stop this in tyrannical police state totalitarian actions to spy on citizens.Its worng by all means and it will be abused its just a matter of time.
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has launched a new campaign to increase awareness of the Department’s Alternative Crisis Response Program and to foster trust in the program’s Field Intervention Teams which serve as the county’s first responders for mental health crisis support.
The Los Angeles County Library is hosting a series of virtual programs from March 13 through June 13, with the next occurring on Thursday, March 13 at 5 p.m.
As another atmospheric river bears down on Los Angeles County, the Departments of Public Health and Beaches and Harbors are reminding potential beachgoers to avoid ocean water and wildfire debris.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been notified of the first case of measles diagnosed in 2025 in a Los Angeles County resident that recently traveled through Los Angeles International Airport.
After the January wildfires, the county began a review to assess our evacuation policies and emergency alert systems. The state has also commissioned a review of our preparedness efforts, immediate response to the fires and the recovery time frame of the incident.
Island Pacific Santa Clarita is gearing up for a celebration of National Lumpia Day with a lumpia-eating contest on Saturday, March 15, from 3-6:30 p.m.
After a successful pilot program in the Saugus Union School District, School Day Café has expanded the use of a new, eco-friendly serving tray option across all Santa Clarita Valley elementary schools.
In support of “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life,” the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is developing a Water Use Efficiency Strategic Plan to establish a comprehensive water conservation strategy.
The Michael Hoefflin Foundation for Children’s Cancer invites the community to join the annual "Walk 4 MHF Help Kids Fight Cancer" to help raise awareness and support local families affected by childhood cancer.
The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has announced that the St. Francis Dam Tour scheduled for Saturday, March 15 has been postponed until Saturday, April 26.
The city of Santa Clarita is enhancing local roadways with the upcoming 2024-2025 Citywide Major Thoroughfare Median Refurbishment Project on Plum Canyon Road.
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center is preparing for the annual fundraising Celebrity Waiter Dinner to be held Saturday, April 26 at the Bella Vida Senior Center.
The Soroptimist International of Greater Santa Clarita Valley 16th Annual Wine Affair: Wine, Beer and Cheer Big Hat Bash will be held Sunday, April 6 on Main Street in Old Town Newhall from noon to 5 p.m.
The city of Santa Clarita's art exhibition, "Saddle Up Santa Clarita" will run through Wednesday, May 14 at Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, CA 91355.
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced that 10 high school seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.
The Master's University Theater Arts presents 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde Fridays and Saturdays, March 21-29 at The Master's University, Music Recital Hall at 24736 Quigley Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
Beginning Monday, March 17, at 6 a.m., Jet will be hosting “Jet into Work,” on 88.5-FM, The SoCal Sound which will lend a fun and upbeat start to listeners’ mornings.
Safely dispose of household hazardous waste and electronic waste for free 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at the College of the Canyons Valencia Campus, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
The Music Center has announced 113 of Southern California’s most talented high school students have advanced in The Music Center’s 37th Annual Spotlight program, which includes three students from the Santa Clarita Valley.
The track and field teams at The Master's University began their 2025 outdoor campaign at the Occidental Spring Break Classic on Saturday, March 8. Multiple qualifiers were added and a school record fell in the men's 4x100m relay.
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo has announced the introduction of the Roads to Resilience Act, AB 1132, a piece of legislation designed to prioritize the needs of communities disproportionately impacted by climate disasters.
Opera America, a nonprofit that supports opera in the United States, recently announced the 2025 recipients of two of its prestigious distinctions: the 2025 Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize and the Discovery Grants from its Opera Grants for Women Composers program.
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has launched a new campaign to increase awareness of the Department’s Alternative Crisis Response Program and to foster trust in the program’s Field Intervention Teams which serve as the county’s first responders for mental health crisis support.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
2 Comments
This all sounds like it will be a wonderful public safety tool. However, I think it is a scary thing to have drones in our skies based on errors made by operators overseas. I would have felt better if there had been something in the announcement that ensured privacy and public safety from errors.
More privacy violations when will it ever stop this in tyrannical police state totalitarian actions to spy on citizens.Its worng by all means and it will be abused its just a matter of time.