Innovative patrol vehicles help ensure safety while social distancing
The Town of Linn Police Department recently enlisted Adorama Business Solutions, a technology resource for corporate, educational, and government institutions, to help purchase and incorporate drone technology into its equipment arsenal as part of its mission to ensure public safety.
A popular tourist destination on the south end of Geneva Lake, Linn’s population swells almost threefold in the summer months, putting a strain on the town’s police department due to limited manpower.
Curious about how to best protect the department’s 36 square mile jurisdiction – a large portion of which is occupied by the lake – Police Chief James Bushey wanted to explore the growing trend of using drones to help solve different cases, from drug busts to locating lost children and felons on the run.
The Town of Linn Police Department worked with Adorama to purchase three different drone models: DJI Inspire, DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual, and DJI Spark. The drones have enabled Linn police officers to reduce both the amount of time and manpower needed to respond to situations by 50%.
Currently, the department uses drones for a range of circumstances, including:
- Search and rescue operations, particularly in and surrounding the lake;
- Road damage surveying;
- For overhead images of buildings and structures for maintenance and repairs.
Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has been able to utilize the drones to patrol its large jurisdiction while maintaining social distancing and reducing the number of officers in the field.
“The use of drone technology enables us to not only protect our community better and more efficiently, but we’re also able to help neighboring jurisdictions,” Bushey said.
“We all face similar manpower and equipment challenges, so unmanned aerial capabilities make a huge difference for solving cases. Combined with the ability to patrol while maintaining social distancing, we’re more confident than ever in our ability to protect our residents,” he added.
Officers from the Town of Linn Police Department initially attended various local drone training courses, but in order to streamline the team’s development and ensure its quality, Bushey created an official FAA-approved curriculum, which all of the town’s officers now follow in order to earn certifications that allow them to fly drones.
Bushey is now one of five official drone flight trainers in the state of Wisconsin.
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