Drones Used In Finding Suspects Including In Recent Sexual Assault: Harford Co. Sheriff

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — For the second time in less than a week, Harford County sheriff's deputies were able to speedily apprehend suspects thanks to the use of drones.

On April 10 at approximately 5:53 a.m., deputies were called to the 200 block of Highland Road for a report of a shooting. They found a woman with a gunshot wound to her lower body. Within minutes, at 5:59 am, a Harford County Sheriff’s Office drone was launched to assist in the search for the suspect. Deputies using the drone found the suspect hiding under a tree behind apartments in the 300 block of Sunflower Drive. He was arrested at 6:14 a.m., according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

Then on April 13 at 11:13 p.m., deputies responded to a call about a home invasion with a sexual assault that had happened in the 600 block of Crossgate Avenue in Edgewood. During the search for a suspect, both a K9 unit and a drone were deployed. While the HCSO K9 was actively tracking the suspect on the ground, the drone provided aerial support. The officer for the K9 team spotted the suspect and shone a flashlight on them, which prompted them to take off again, according to the sheriff's office.

The drone operator tracked the suspect to a home and relayed this information to the K9 Team, which helped them find the suspect who had changed clothes.

“These types of crimes are what keep citizens awake at night. The fear that someone will enter their home and bring harm to their families is real. We anticipated that integrating drones into our patrol strategies would transform policing and enhance our abilities to keep our community safe. These two instances underscore the value of investing time, resources and funds into this technology which resulted in the swift and safe apprehension of these suspects. I am proud of the work our deputies do every day to ensure you and your family can sleep in peace," said Harford County Sheriff's Office Jeffrey Gahler said.

The sheriff's office has several drones used for patrolling and investigations. Many officers carry them in their vehicles.