Champaign police launch drone program to promote public safety

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) –The Champaign Police Department has implemented a new drone program to support community safety efforts from an aerial perspective.

The program is designed to promote community safety by offering a bird’s eye view of large community events and in-progress situations.

With the launch of an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Program, also known as a Drone Program, the Champaign Police will be able to quickly search for missing persons, photograph crime scenes and traffic crashes with speed and accuracy and promote the safety of the community and police personnel.

“Champaign Police will always be present to promote safety for our residents, visitors, and businesses,” said Police Chief Timothy T. Tyler. “This technology will give us a new perspective to seek out those who would do harm or find those in need of immediate assistance.”

According to Champaign PD, all flights will be conducted in compliance with the Illinois Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act (725 ILCS 167), which limits law enforcement use of drones to a relatively short list of specific purposes. Among those are:

To look for missing people (but not as part of a criminal investigation).
In response to a 911 call when the sole purpose is to locate and help victims.
During a disaster or public health emergency.
When police have a search warrant signed by a judge.
For crime scene or traffic crash photography.
To counter a high risk of a terrorist attack.
To prevent imminent harm to life, escape of a suspect, or the destruction of evidence.
During special events, with notice posted at least 24 hours in advance about the planned use of police drones.

“CPD officers have been trained and certified to conduct flights under strict protocols and specific circumstances,” said Lieutenant Gregory Manzana, who will oversee the department’s program. “State law expressly prohibits drones from being deployed without a specific lawful reason and requires annual reporting on drone deployments.”

Officers will receive training to operate UAS devices and must obtain proper certification from the Federal Aviation Administration through the Part 107 Licensing Program.

Additionally, officers will be required by Department Policy to complete policy and flight training before deployment in the field.

To promote transparency on UAS technology and its use in the community, the Champaign Police Department has launched a new webpage, champaignil.gov/uas.