Puyallup police showcase Drone‑as‑First‑Responder pilot; council asks about scope, costs and privacy controls
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Summary
The Puyallup Police Department presented its drone program and a Drone‑as‑First‑Responder proof‑of‑concept that responded to calls faster than officers and in some cases canceled dispatched units; council members asked about costs, staffing, ranges, FAA compliance, and transparency portals.
The Puyallup Police Department presented a demonstration and results from a Drone‑as‑First‑Responder (DFR) proof of concept during the Dec. 9 meeting, describing how docked and remote‑operated drones augment patrol operations for searches, overwatch at large events, interior searches and flood monitoring.
Chief Scott Engel and Captain (as introduced in the presentation) said the department started a drone program in 2018 and ran a DFR proof‑of‑concept in 2024. Captain Bismarck said the department now operates 17 aircraft with 10 FAA Part‑107 certified pilots and that a short, low‑cost DFR pilot ran four shifts and responded to 29 calls total; dispatched officers were canceled in 10 instances after drone assessment. "They were first on scene 18 times, or 82% of the time," Captain Bismarck said.
The presentation included a high‑visibility Oct. 23 incident where the department’s license‑plate recognition camera, a StarChase GPS tag and an overhead drone worked together to locate a stolen vehicle; the drone aided officers while minimizing a dangerous pursuit. Council members asked about operational details: estimated costs for a docked drone subscription (~$55,000/year quoted for vendor subscription), in‑house implementation estimates (staff said under $100,000 for standalone setup), pilot staffing and whether warrant rules apply.
Captain Bismarck said surveillance projects that target private property would require a warrant, and the department emphasized FAA compliance, pilot certification and membership in the Law Enforcement Drone Association for policy guidance. Several council members supported the program as an officer‑safety and de‑escalation tool while asking staff to pursue grants for detection equipment and possible FTEs if the program scales.
Next steps: staff will refine cost estimates, continue pursuing grant opportunities for detection and consider options for in‑house versus subscription deployments; no formal council action was required for this informational item.
