Murphy Police highlight regional drone training; nonprofit funded program brought national instructors

Murphy officials on April 1 recognized a multi-day regional law-enforcement drone training hosted in the city and funded in part by a veteran-founded nonprofit that pays training costs so departments can attend free of charge.

Murphy Police Chief (name not stated in the audio) described the training as a months-long effort that brought national instructors and law-enforcement teams to Murphy for scenario-based exercises integrating drones with tactical entries, searches and other public-safety work. "I would much rather crash a drone or have a drone damaged than one of our men because they are irreplaceable," the chief said, explaining the program's focus on saving officers' lives by using unmanned aircraft to survey high-risk areas before sending personnel.

The chief said the department used school facilities'a high-school stadium and middle-school complex'to rehearse varied scenarios, including interior and exterior navigation and operations in nature-trail terrain. He said the department aimed to develop a regional capability and plans to expand its inventory, including procuring interior-capable drones in fiscal year 2026; he estimated an interior drone at roughly $15,000.

Russ, founder of the Do a Little Good Foundation, addressed council and described the nonprofit's mission to provide free, high-end training and equipment to law-enforcement agencies. "We do training across the country and we do it absolutely for free for all the law enforcement that respond," Russ said. He described bringing retired special-operations instructors to teach advanced tactics and said the foundation also supports veteran entrepreneurship and a canine-advocacy program to assist child victims.

Council members and school security officials in attendance thanked the department and partners; the council presented challenge coins and other tokens of appreciation to school-district security staff and the foundation. Chief and staff said the training will be repeated annually and that Murphy aims to be a regional hub for this kind of public-safety training.