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Eyes in the Sky: Enhancing Safety from 1,000 Feet Away
HPD Drone Operator Dan Winter Uses High-Flying Tech to Keep People Safe
Note: Video and photos are not of the homicide suspect search described below.
From 400 feet above ground and 1,000 feet away, Hillsboro Police Department Officer Dan Winter set his sights on one task: finding the homicide suspect.
HPD Detectives and the Tactical Negotiations Team were in position on the ground for the expected takedown.
Now, it was up to Winter’s high-flying drone and the attached camera to watch out for the safety of officers, community members — and even the homicide suspect about to be taken into custody.
“Myself and another officer worked in tandem… one flying, one working the camera,” Winter remembers of the search.
“We zoomed in, we were able to get eyes on the door, watch the suspect walk out, walk down to the car, leave, and we captured the entire thing on video, including the takedown where the suspect was ultimately apprehended without any incident.”
A successful outcome in all ways, that incident stands out in Winter’s mind as one of his favorite drone deployments. It served as an example of getting eyes into a tense situation, so a fellow officer doesn’t have to put themselves in harm’s way, then delivering that intelligence to others in real-time for a rapid response.
“Historically, we would have had to use a fire truck, climb up a ladder, and take a picture,” Winter says. “Now, we can pop the drone up, get any information we need.”
Protecting officers each day
Trained and licensed with a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, Winter serves as HPD’s only drone operator. He and other pilots with the Washington County Remote Operated Vehicle Team are called on almost every day — sometimes five times in a single day — to assist on a variety of situations in Washington County, including working alongside the County’s Tactical Negotiations Team.
Crash scenes. Search and rescue. K-9 tracks. SWAT Team responses. Even locating a wounded cougar in a neighborhood.
In an emergency, speed matters, and drones allow officers to respond faster and safer than ever before. That’s why Winter always keeps his drone with him in his patrol car.
Only a phone call away, Winter knows from experience how to get set up on scene quickly: Unpack the case, unfold the drone’s arms, turn it on, and put it to work.
“Drones enhance public safety by providing a crucial resource to make officers safe,” Winter says. “The biggest thing we're hoping to accomplish is to help patrol and suspect apprehension for patrol-based calls but also going out and helping search and rescue find people that need help, much faster and getting them to safety and resources.”
“We're most successful when we can mitigate any sort of risk, when we can provide the best service, continuous coverage for the K-9 teams, the SWAT teams, anybody that we're covering and trying to keep safe. If we can do that, then that's mission accomplished.”
Each week, Winter and his drone help reduce risk in dangerous situations … as long as the batteries are charged. Of all the things Winter wants to avoid during an incident response, near the top of the list is having the drone power down when it’s needed most.
“Battery maintenance and keeping up on charging is the biggest concern. And probably the most difficult part of this assignment.”
Community support & understanding
Another concern is making sure community members understand how and why the drone is used.
"Our drone program is a critical advancement in public safety," says Hillsboro Police Chief Jim Coleman. "It's allowing us to enhance situational awareness, reduce risks for both our officers and the community, and ultimately, deliver a safer and more effective emergency response.”
Winter says he feels fortunate to work for the City of Hillsboro and to feel the community’s support. With that support also comes a lot of questions from community members who are curious.
Many discussions of drones lead to the topic of privacy concerns. That’s why Winter makes time to talk with folks, to answer their questions, and to explain the City of Hillsboro’s philosophy.
“We approach privacy and safety concerns with great care to (follow) all FAA regulations, as well as the Oregon Revised Statutes, limitations on what we can do and where we can fly,” Winter says.
“We get consent when needed. We operate under (urgent) circumstances when we have to, and we make sure that drone language is in the warrant every time we go out and service a warrant, taking the utmost care to really make sure that we're putting the safety and security of (community members) at the front of every mission that we do.”