Anne Arundel County Police launch patrol drone program to support emergency response

Anne Arundel County Police launched its patrol drone program Monday, aimed at enhancing emergency response, situational awareness, and officer safety during active incidents.

The program expands the department's existing drone operations, previously limited to crash investigations, to include real-time support for 911 calls and police-generated incidents.

According to the department, the drones will provide aerial perspectives to help officers deploy resources more strategically.

 "When they get to the scene, they can deploy a drone, obtain real-time information, and they can direct officers to where the actual problem is," said Marc Limansky, a spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

The patrol drones will assist in searches for missing persons, crowd and traffic management during special events, and live video transmission to the department's Real-Time Information Center.

Anne Arundel County has used drones in crash investigations, where they have helped document scenes quickly and reduce traffic delays.

Additional information on drone policies and oversight is available on the department's website.

Limansky said the department expects to be transparent with the community regarding usage, displaying the drone's flight path only when it's deployed.

"They will be posted 30 days after the initial flight just to make sure it's not needed for any criminal investigation," he said.

Drone usage grows across Maryland

Many Maryland jurisdictions have also adopted drone technology for law enforcement purposes.

On Tuesday, Baltimore County Police announced that they are holding community input meetings regarding a proposed Drone as First Responder program.

Baltimore City unveiled its draft drone policy in July 2023, to allow the use of drones in scenarios such as documenting crime scenes, SWAT situations, active shooter events, and hostage rescues. 

In April 2024, the Harford County Sheriff's Office used drones to apprehend suspects in two home invasions. In November, Harford deputies captured two Baltimore City teens accused of breaking into more than 20 vehicles.

Last year, Howard County police used a drone to locate a juvenile who crashed a stolen car and fled the scene. Montgomery County police deployed a drone to capture a stabbing suspect in Silver Spring.

Drones also helped in the capture of David Linthicum in 2023 after he shot two Baltimore County Police officers and fled to Fallston.