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Cleveland expands police drone use; officials emphasize public reporting and privacy limits

Cleveland City Council Safety Committee · January 29, 2026

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Summary

Deputy Chief Jared Shellotten told the safety committee the police drone program has executed about a dozen deployments, maintains a public flight-log for transparency, operates nine deployable drones (three additional training units) and does not use facial recognition; the city is piloting a first-responder drone at a fire station for shoreline and highway response.

Deputy Chief Jared Shellotten briefed the Cleveland safety committee on the police drone program and a separate public-safety first-responder pilot.

Shellotten said the division has completed about a dozen official deployments for large public events, crime-scene documentation and event support. All flights were described as "support tools" flown over publicly accessible areas; the deputy chief said the department does not use facial recognition or automated analytics with drones. A public-facing website and a standardized form filed with the Citizens’ Police Commission (CPC) document flight paths and duration after deployments, and the CPC does not veto flights, according to the deputy chief.

Officials reported the city purchased approximately 12 units: nine operable drones and three used for training. The department is developing storage, charging and maintenance protocols at the real-time crime center and is expanding operator training quarterly in 2026. Separately, Public Safety is piloting a first-responder drone stationed at a firehouse to provide rapid situational awareness for shoreline rescues, highway accidents and other time-sensitive incidents. If the pilot shows operational value, staff expect to return to council with data to support expansion.

Councilmembers asked about environmental limits (wind, vegetation), cost and oversight; the deputy chief said some drones have thermal capability when needed, operators deploy with a spotter for safety, and urban forestry/311 are the referral points for obstructive tree canopy that can reduce drone effectiveness.