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Baltimore County police outline pilot "drone first responder" program to speed 911 response
Summary
The Baltimore County Police Department told the Police Accountability Board it is piloting a "drone first responder" program with an initial deployment in Towson. Officials said drones will respond to 911 calls only, store video on evidence.com, and are not to be used for continuous active surveillance; community oversight and transparency questions followed.
Chief McCullough told the Baltimore County Police Accountability Board on Sept. 15 that the department is piloting a "drone first responder" program with a goal of being fully operable in October. He said drones would be dispatched to 911 calls to provide early situational awareness and would not be used for general active surveillance.
McCullough said the department modeled policy on Montgomery County's program, which was reviewed by the ACLU, and has held three public information sessions in Baltimore County. "These drones can get to a call for service in as little time as 45 seconds," he said, contrasting that with the typical officer response time he estimated at three to seven minutes in parts of the county. McCullough added that video from the drones will be streamed to the department's information center and stored on evidence.com, the same platform used for body-worn camera footage.
Board members pressed officials on operations and oversight. The chief said the initial rollout will preposition two drones in Towson and operate them in pairs; two more drones are planned when the program expands to Randallstown. He described the cameras as high-quality, American-made sensors purchased through the department's body-camera vendor.
On privacy and use-of-force questions, McCullough emphasized the program's limited scope: drones will be sent only to specific 911 calls and return to docking stations when not deployed. Video will be reviewed by trained staff at the info center; supervisors and detectives will handle review and any follow-up. The chief also said the department is considering automated tools to flag footage for review but noted cost constraints.
The board requested continued updates as the pilot progresses and asked for clarification on protocols for mental-health calls and joint dispatch of crisis resources. McCullough said he welcomes further oversight and public engagement during the rollout.
The department did not record a formal vote on the drone program during the Sept. 15 meeting; officials described a pilot rollout and public outreach plan with oversight elements in place.
