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Peoria expands aviation unit, real-time crime center and plans drone program as part of public-safety strategy
Summary
Peoria officials described expanded air support, the Real Time Crime Center’s early results and a contracted drone-first-responder program; staff said the aviation unit has assisted in life‑saving responses and the RTCC has led officers to suspects and vehicles hundreds of times since going operational in March 2025.
Peoria police on Nov. 4 told the City Council that the city’s aviation unit and Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) have already been used to locate suspects and save lives, and outlined plans to expand coverage with a second aircraft and a drone-first-responder program.
Commander James Schmidt said the Bell 505 helicopter entered patrol operations in July and that “the aviation unit is definitely a force multiplier,” adding it brings the equivalent of “4 to 6 officers” to a scene through aerial oversight, thermal imaging and a spotlight system. Schmidt described rescue equipment and interoperable radios that allow multi‑agency coordination across West Valley jurisdictions.
City staff credited the aircraft with several operational outcomes: since patrol operations began, the unit has responded to 251 calls for service, conducted one rescue flight and recorded what staff described as 14 “preservations of life,”…
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