Redmond police describe first full-time drone first-responder program, cite rapid response and privacy limits
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Summary
Corporal Scott Scolleppi said Redmond operates the state's first full-time drone first-responder program; drones have thermal imaging, advanced cameras and "can arrive on scene in less than 90 seconds," and their use is restricted to emergency response to protect privacy.
Corporal Scott Scolleppi, chief pilot for the Redmond Police Department's drone first-responder program, described the city's full-time initiative and its intended public-safety uses.
"We're the first full time DFR initiative in the state," Scolleppi said, adding that the drones are equipped with advanced cameras and thermal imaging and "can arrive on scene in less than 90 seconds to provide real time video to help officers assess the scene, improving safety and de escalation." He said the program operates under "strict policies that limit their use to emergency response in order to protect privacy."
Scolleppi framed the program as a tool to give officers faster situational awareness while limiting surveillance risk: the agency emphasizes emergency-only deployments, he said. The transcript does not specify the program's funding sources, retention periods for footage, or any civilian complaint or oversight process.
The remarks were presented as informational; no policy vote or ordinance regarding the drone program was recorded in the briefing.
