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Wright County deputies describe expanded UAV use and a busy, flu‑driven medical call volume
Summary
Deputies told the Otsego council their patrol shifts were set, UAV drones with infrared capability are being used for searches and mapping serious crashes, and an unusual flu season has driven more 'medical unconscious' calls; staffing and equipment needs may increase.
Wright County deputies updated the council on patrol staffing, the department’s UAV program and recent call patterns.
Deputy updates noted annual shift bidding and the assignment of deputies to Otsego. Deputy Kyla Basoff was cited as a longtime deputy familiar with the city. Deputies said the department is equipping squad cars with UAV drones that include infrared capabilities, which have been used for missing‑person searches and to provide situational awareness at water rescues and serious traffic crashes. Officials said having drones in squad cars speeds response and assists mapping and rescue operations.
The deputies also described a busy December and an atypical flu season that produced a higher number of calls classified as "medical unconscious" rather than routine medicals, often affecting senior residents. The department said this pattern will show up in forthcoming call‑for‑service reports and that demand for specialized officers and equipment (UAVs, crime‑scene specialists, SWAT) is informing scheduling decisions.
No policy changes were proposed at the council meeting; deputies said they would continue to disseminate contact lists and coordinate staffing with city officials.
