Dear Chairmen Graves and Nehls and Representatives Larsen and Cohen,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 3598, the “De-escalation Drone Pilot Program Act.”
Every day, officers across this country are sent into unpredictable and life-threatening situations, often with limited information and little time to prepare and equip themselves when responding, which may pose a serious risk to their own lives and those of the public. This legislation proposes a practical improvement in how we can better approach those scenarios.
The idea is simple: send in a drone instead of sending in an officer when there’s a credible threat to life. These are the moments when every second counts and every decision can be the difference between life and death. A non-lethal drone can assess, intervene, or delay, thereby creating critical space and time without immediately placing a human in the line of fire.
This legislation is not a sweeping change to national law enforcement policy. It is a narrowly scoped, time-limited pilot program designed to gather data, assess effectiveness, and report back to Congress. This bill does not authorize broad or permanent drone deployment but instead takes a measured and accountable approach to evaluate a promising tool in real-world conditions.
The 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act created barriers that have made it nearly impossible for tactical teams to operate even the most basic unmanned systems with defensive or de-escalation tools. This bill corrects that, and does so with a focused, no-nonsense pilot program that’s accountable, well-defined, and grounded in real-world operational needs. It also ensures that the equipment used is American made, which we fully support.
Law enforcement officers need tools that reflect the modern threats we face, not just for our protection, but for the protection of those we serve. We commend Chairman Nehls and Representative Davis for crafting a bill that puts officer safety and public safety on equal footing.
We urge the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to expedite consideration of this commonsense legislation and favorably report the bill to the House floor for action. It could be a true lifeline for the men and women who stand between danger and the people they are sworn to protect.
On behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you all for taking into consideration our views on the importance of this matter. If I can provide any additional information about this bill, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President