Deputies use drone to disarm suspect in standoff
By Cecilio Padilla, Steve Large, Lyanne Wang
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SACRAMENTO COUNTY, California (KOVR) — Video released Monday shows Sacramento County deputies using a drone to disarm a suspect during a recent standoff – an operation the sheriff’s office described as a “nationwide first.”
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened June 18, when law enforcement officers surrounded a home on Goya Parkway in the south Sacramento area while searching for a wanted parolee-at-large.
Deputies said the suspect had reportedly been seen earlier with a firearm and was not responding to negotiators.
After the suspect continued hiding inside the home, deputies deployed a standard drone, used for all interior searches and barricaded subjects, and found him in the corner of a garage.
Deputy Tom Lee, Lead Pilot of the Sheriff’s Craft Observation Utilizing Technology (SCOUT) team, operated the drone.
“It was of those [moments] where someone thought outside a box and it ended up working out wonderfully because in that enclosed space, we didn’t want to send anybody in there, put them in any danger. That’s what the drones are there for, to save lives,” Lee said.
In the video, the suspect can be seen holding a knife. Deputies said he appeared to be either playing dead or lying in wait.
To safely disarm him, deputies attached a strong magnet to the drone and flew it toward the suspect’s hand. The video shows the drone taking the knife from the suspect.
Deputies then took the suspect into custody safely.
Lee says the SCOUT team’s next step is to develop a system for the drone to not only grab but let go of things.
“This can help us deliver objects to people, whether it be some sort of life-saving device or a phone, or even something critical, like if someone needs help and needs, say, more ammunition,” he said.
The drone was not the only piece of new technology deployed during the standoff. For the first time, deputies also implemented on-scene a robotic dog named Buster, which helped clear debris in the garage.
“They both play off each other’s strengths. In very small areas, Buster can crawl over things, and around things, and it’s got a more articulating arm that can grab stuff,” Lee said. “So if my drone was unable to get the knife out of his hand, Buster would be the next option to come in there and possibly grab it.”
While the SCOUT team expresses excitement over the successful disarmament last week, it acknowledges that its technology still has significant development ahead before more advanced applications become possible.
“I know that drones have come a long way in the past 10 years, but in this case, we’re still not there yet for some sort of cyborg,” Lee said.
Authorities have not released the suspect’s name.
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