Police use drone to catch suspects in CVS theft

Officials tout success of Drone as First Responder program

August 16, 2024 1:29 p.m.

Montgomery County police were able to use a drone to catch suspects who allegedly stole more than $800 of merchandise from a CVS store on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, according to district commander Capt. Jason Cokinos.

According to Cokinos, the two suspects are also tied to other theft cases in the county. One suspect was processed and booked, Cokinos wrote on social media. Drugs were also confiscated by the police.

This case was one of several that the county police department has pointed to as successful uses of the Drone as First Responder program.

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Under the program, police deploy a drone after a 911 call if the dispatcher and drone pilot believe it would be useful to use one to respond. Once the drone arrives on the scene, the police officer remotely piloting the aircraft can assess whether a threat is credible, if more emergency responders are needed, and other details that could help expedite emergency response, according to police.

The drones were initially instated as part of a six-month pilot program in Silver Spring and Wheaton, but the County Council decided to approve further funding to continue the program and expand it to Bethesda, Gaithersburg and Germantown during the budget process in May. Cokinos and other police department officials have said the drones have limited unnecessary police intervention and helped de-escalate situations.

While county officials and Gov. Wes Moore have praised the program as a success, it has not existed without controversy. The program was criticized by some members of the community during public hearings last year, who voiced concerns about surveillance.

The program was also the subject of a panel discussion at the Maryland Association of Counties conference in Ocean City on Wednesday. Maryland Matters reported that county officials praised the use of drones to limit unnecessary interaction between the public and police, while a representative from the ACLU and other speakers said they were concerned it could pose privacy and surveillance issues.

The drones do not have face recognition technology and are not permitted for surveillance use, including of “First Amendment protected events” unless there is an immediate safety concern or threat, according to Earl Stoddard, director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security.

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