CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — The Castle Rock Police Department is expanding its drone program and will send drones to check out crime scenes before officers arrive.
“It's an innovation piece that's going to continue to help us keep our community safe,” said Castle Rock Police Chief Jack Cauley.
The police department will use the drones to respond to emergency incidents and calls for service throughout the Town of Castle Rock. The drones are also equipped with thermal and infrared sensors and can assist in missing persons and school safety calls.
“If our officers are tied up on calls and they can't get somewhere, we can have the drone there in no time, and then provide that feed back to our real-time crime center,” said Cauley.
Our sister station, Denver7, has reported on several law enforcement agencies and their drone programs in and around the Denver area. Read our previous coverage below:
- Denver Police Dept. develops drone program, eventually hoping to have drones respond to emergency situations
- Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office tests new drone program, but one factor could pose a challenge
- 'Drones as First Responder' program takes flight in Commerce City
- Wheat Ridge police use drones to scope out scenes, enhance public safety
The drones, which unofficially launched over the summer, have already aided in stopping retail thefts throughout the region.
The Flock Drone as First Responder program is an expansion of CRPD’s current drone program, which launched in 2021. The drones work in conjunction with Flock license plate readers, which were first implemented in the Town of Castle Rock in 2021.
Since then, CRPD told Denver7 it's seen a 14 percent decrease in overall crime and a 41 percent reduction in auto thefts.
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Colorado advocates raise concerns over police use of first responder drones
We’ve heard from many viewers about privacy and safety concerns with this technology. Keith Kauffman, Flock's senior director of the Drones as First Responders program, addressed those concerns on Thursday.
“What we're really focused on — responsible for — is building a platform that has great transparency in it,” Kauffman said.
The Castle Rock Police Department said it'll soon launch a transparency portal, where residents can access flight logs and a list of calls for service. Chief Cauley acknowledged it’s a work in progress while emphasizing the program’s value.
“Just to be clear, we don't just fly the drone for the heck of it. I mean, it's done for purpose," Chief Cauley said. "We have a call for service, a reason to be there, a reason to help the community."
