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Former Sen. Frank Hoagland urges Ohio to create joint law enforcement oversight committee for drones and unmanned systems
Summary
At a Senate committee hearing, former Sen. Frank Hoagland urged passage of Senate Bill 26 to form a Joint Law Enforcement Oversight Committee to help Ohio law enforcement prepare for threats posed by drones and other unmanned systems, arguing the panel should have authority to develop tactics and training.
Former Senator Frank Hoagland told the Ohio Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee that Senate Bill 26 would fill a gap between emerging unmanned-vehicle threats and existing legislative oversight. Hoagland provided proponent testimony at a second hearing and said the measure would give lawmakers better insight into law enforcement capabilities and responsibilities.
Hoagland, who described his work with the Department of Public Safety and a counter-drone assessment authorized by the governor, said the state must treat unmanned aerial systems and related technologies as both lifesaving assets and potential weapons. “We have seen the effects of safety when safety becomes counterproductive to security,” he said, arguing the committee should focus on practical, operational standards rather than another top‑heavy bureaucracy.
Hoagland described a range of systems — drones (UAVs/UABs), robotic ground platforms and unmanned surface and underwater vehicles — that can carry payloads capable of causing mass casualties in “target‑rich” environments such as stadiums and large public events. He urged the committee to create a task force with authority to develop tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and standard operating procedures to empower frontline responders. “This task force must develop PTPs, tactics, techniques, and procedures applicable to the mission,” he said.
During questions, members asked whether police academy curricula currently cover these technologies. Hoagland recommended reviewing work by operational units and noted limits on law enforcement’s current ability to act in some scenarios, citing examples such as unauthorized drones that have disrupted sporting events. He said federal rules and airport clearances often constrain training flights and stressed the need to clarify actionable authority and training standards for state and local agencies.
The hearing concluded with members thanking Hoagland for his service and testimony. No vote or committee action was recorded at the hearing stage; SB 26 remains under consideration with the committee.
Provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 062; testimony and questioning span through SEG 184.
