Lake Oswego Police to Implement New Unmanned Aircraft System Program

LAKE OSWEGO – The Lake Oswego Police Department (LOPD) is in the early stages of implementing a new small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) program, commonly referred to as drones, to help our officers respond to emergencies more safely and effectively.

Police departments both locally and nationally have been using these useful tools in a variety of emergency situations, including search and rescue operations, locating missing persons, responding to natural disasters, and supporting first responders during critical incidents. Equipped with advanced technology, these sUAS provide a bird’s-eye view of situations that may otherwise be challenging or unsafe for officers to access quickly while minimizing risk to our officers and the community.

All deployments of the sUAS will be in strict accordance with constitutional and privacy rights, Oregon law, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

To ensure the safe and professional operation of the sUAS, the department has selected nine officers to serve as pilots. These officers have already begun comprehensive training, including FAA testing and ground school to ensure they are fully equipped to operate the sUAS in compliance with all laws and safety regulations.

We will share more information as our pilots move through their training and we officially implement our program.

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