Harford County Sheriff's Office launches Drones as First Responders to speed on-scene information

Sergeant Walt Smith, team leader of the Harford County Sheriff's Office drone unit, said the department has expanded its program so drones can be dispatched to some calls before patrol officers arrive. "Once that call taker calls in and gives us a call for service, the drone operator can actually listen to that live, launch the drone in real time, and actually get the drone up in the air and on scene within 30 to about 90 seconds," Smith said.

Smith described a model in which drones will be positioned on top of county buildings and operators will monitor live 911 calls to decide when to launch. He said every flight will be tied to a call for service and will be documented and auditable to ensure transparency.

The unit selected the Skydio X10 platform, Smith said, pointing to the aircraft's multiple cameras, obstacle-avoidance mapping and IR capability to detect heat signatures. He said night-sensing features and obstacle avoidance allow operations in low- or no-light conditions.

Smith emphasized operational limits and privacy safeguards: "In no way, shape, or form, we will be looking in yards or businesses or anything like that and violating anybody's rights," he said, adding that drones will be launched on priority ("1 or 2") calls or when an incident is in progress and the use is justified.

Smith also described operator training: the office requires an intensive one-week course that pushes pilots through scenarios to ensure proficiency under stress, and the unit currently lists 14 pilots and 14 aircraft after launching in 2021.

The office said the program aims to improve officer safety, give patrol units a clearer picture of unfolding incidents and sometimes help de-escalate situations by providing commanders and officers with real-time visual information. The department did not provide an exact deployment schedule for all county buildings or a public privacy policy for review during the segment.

The program was introduced on the Sheriff's Office public-affairs show "Behind the Badge." The department said flights will be auditable and tied to calls for service going forward.