Bellingham Police Launches Drone First Responder Program

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A new Bellingham Police Department program will put drones in the air within minutes of some 911 calls, giving first responders a live view of an emergency before officers or other emergency crews reach the scene.

The Bellingham Police Department launched its new Drone as First Responder program Oct. 6. Trained BPD officers will remotely pilot small drones from three locations around the city, allowing them to quickly assess what is happening and provide information to responders.

The drones can reach an incident in under two minutes, according to the City of Bellingham.

Bellingham Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig said the real-time information can help officers determine the appropriate response and, in some situations, de-escalate an incident before officers arrive.

“A real-time view gives us critical, accurate information to send the proper response and, in some cases, de-escalate a situation before officers arrive. It is safer for everyone involved.”

— Rebecca Mertzig, Bellingham Police Chief

Drones will launch from three Bellingham locations

The DFR drones will operate from three stations at the Bellingham Police Department, the City’s Pacific Street Operations Center and Bellis Fair mall.

Those locations give the department coverage across the city and allow trained officers to launch a drone quickly after a qualifying 911 call.

The program can support more than police calls. Bellingham officials say the drones can provide information for fire, emergency medical services, disaster response and other city operations.

A drone could give firefighters an aerial view of a structure fire, help assess a hazardous-materials incident or provide information about conditions during a natural disaster.

The technology could also help city crews assess infrastructure damage after a storm or monitor traffic conditions.

The new program differs from BPD’s existing unmanned aerial systems program, which the department has operated since 2019. Officers currently can deploy those drones from the field for purposes such as searches and investigations.

The DFR program instead places drones at fixed locations so officers can send them to emergency scenes before responders arrive.

Privacy and transparency built into the program

The City says privacy protections play a central role in the new program.

Every DFR flight will have a trained BPD officer at the controls. The department also will record each flight on a public dashboard so residents can see where the drones operate.

When a drone leaves its station, the pilot will keep its camera pointed toward the horizon until the drone reaches the incident location.

The department will not equip the drones with automated license plate reader technology.

Once a drone reaches an incident, officers can use the live video to assess conditions and help determine what type of response the situation requires.

BPD will store video captured at an incident in the same secure evidence system the department uses for body-worn camera footage. Only authorized BPD staff can access that evidence.

The program does not replace officers, firefighters or other emergency personnel. Instead, the drones give those responders information before they reach an incident.

State grant funds Bellingham drone program

A $475,417 state public safety grant funds the purchase, installation and implementation of the DFR system through 2028.

Bellingham initially plans to train four officers to operate the DFR drones. The department hopes to eventually staff the program around the clock, although reaching that goal will require additional training.

The three launch locations give the department a way to quickly put a drone over an emergency anywhere in Bellingham while keeping a trained officer responsible for every flight.

For residents, the program also creates a new source of information about how police use aerial technology.

BPD’s public flight dashboard and privacy policies will allow the community to track the program while the department uses the drones to provide responders with a view of emergency scenes before they arrive.

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