The Union County Sheriff’s Office received a grant from the Wildhorse Foundation for $14,409. The grant is funding the Sheriff’s Office new drone program.
A drone is a small, unmanned aircraft guided by a remote control. The drone operator is required to get a Remote Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. There are rules and regulations for the pilots on where they can fly the drones, and how high the drone is able to go.
Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen said he’s excited about this new program and what it means for our deputies, as well as Search and Rescue.
“I’m grateful that we have this new piece of equipment that will aid our deputies in the apprehension of criminals,” Sheriff Bowen said. “This will also help our Search and Rescue volunteers when they need aerial help. This is an exciting thing for our office and we’re happy that we’ll have opportunities to help the other law enforcement agencies when needed.”
The new drone will assist the Sheriff’s Office when deputies need situational awareness about an incident to reduce the risk of harm or injury to personnel or persons involved. The drone program will also assist our Search and Rescue volunteers when they need aerial support for lost subjects.
UCSO received support and encouragement from counties across the state. The utilization of this program will allow our county to assist other communities if they ask for our help, Sheriff Bowen said. The drone and its pilot will be made available to those law enforcement agencies in Umatilla, Baker, Wallowa and Morrow counties and other agencies who request our assistance.
The SO has two licensed pilots who can respond to a scene with the drone.
“The Union County Sheriff’s Office, and specifically UCSO Deputy Dylan Hamilton and SAR Incident Commander Willy Crippen, who are now licensed pilots for the drone, collectively have many years of research, training, and experience that positioned the sheriff’s office to be competitive to add this capability,” said Nick Vora, Emergency Services manager and SAR Coordinator.”
UCSO Deputy Hamilton has done the necessary training to get his pilot’s license to fly the drone.
“The Sheriff’s Office drone program will be an invaluable asset for various tasks,” Hamilton said. “By working in conjunction the K9 unit, Search and Rescue, fire departments and EMS, the program will enhance the effectiveness of these agencies. The drone will provide an additional layer of coverage – greatly improving the overall safety and success rate of those critical operations.
The drone will also be equipped with thermal imaging capabilities that are critical for locating lost persons at night, and a speaker for communicating with people who have been located.
