Dear Representatives Correa and Nehls,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 993, the “Directing Resources for Officers Navigating Emergencies (DRONE) Act.”
The use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, by law enforcement is growing because the devices can be so broadly applied in many public safety situations. These drones have a variety of uses, including searching for missing persons, especially in hard-to-reach areas or if the search area is very large. These tools can help gather information at crime scenes so officers can be prepared for the environments they approach and potentially de-escalate high-risk situations without placing officers in harm’s way. They also help to provide an eye in the sky during large-scale events involving crowds. As such, drones have become an increasingly valuable asset to police departments of any size.
Your legislation would allow law enforcement agencies to use Edward R. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) funds to help purchase and operate unmanned aircraft systems. It would additionally allow grants offered by the office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to be used for similar purposes. In turn, this would allow more agencies to invest in drone technology, especially in rural areas which rely heavily on Byrne-JAG and COPS grants.
On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you both for your support on this issue. If I can be of any help or provide additional information in support of this legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President