by Wesley Harris
The Ruston Police Department is moving deeper into the use of technology as a crime-fighting tool.
Last week, RPD, along with Mayor Ronny Walker, Ruston Fire officials, and others viewed a live demonstration of the “Drone as a First Responder” (DFR) program—an innovative technology designed to enhance community safety and improve officer effectiveness.
In a statement, RPD said the demonstration marks the beginning of a pilot program to provide dispatchers and first responders with real-time situational awareness during critical incidents. By integrating drone technology into emergency response, the RPD aims to strengthen its ability to respond quickly, safely, and efficiently.
Chief Eric Watson has touted the DFR in a number of community meetings around the city since joining the department in March. He described scenarios where the drone would provide information from the scene of a critical incident before officers can reach the location such as location of a shooter or a fleeing suspect.
“We hope to implement this program based on proven successes in other jurisdictions that have pioneered the DFR model,” Watson said. “The data is clear—deploying a drone to a 911 call as a first responder can dramatically reduce overall response times and increase both officer and community safety.”
When a 911 call is received for a high-priority incident, a dispatcher can deploy a drone from a launch site, sending it to the scene within minutes—often before officers arrive on the ground.
The drone is operated from department headquarters, streaming live video and other critical data directly to responding officers. This allows officers to make better-informed decisions before arriving on scene.
The drone serves as a “force multiplier,” allowing a smaller group of staff to accomplish more than a much larger force by employing a technology to achieve the same result as a much larger force that lacks the technology.
The information gathered can assist in locating missing persons or fleeing suspects, assessing vehicle crashes, or providing “eyes” on potentially dangerous situations without risk to officers.
In some cases, live drone footage may help resolve incidents without dispatching officers, freeing up resources for other emergencies.
Chief Watson added, “The Ruston Police Department is committed to utilizing technology to modernize our operations. These advancements will help keep both the public and our officers safe. The citizens of Ruston should expect our department to remain well-trained and ready to use all available resources to maintain public safety at the highest level.”
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