WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — The Wheat Ridge Police Department will now use drones in order to crack down on illegal fireworks this 4th of July.
Drone technology is relatively new for the department. It received drone equipment and began training officers about six months ago, but they didn't hit the streets until about three months ago.
The use of drones has proven to be a powerful tool for Wheat Ridge PD in missing person searches, suspect searches, crime scene documentation, traffic accidents or any situation where better visuals are needed.
"We have eight certified pilots. It's a tool that we use on a pretty regular basis and gives us a different perspective that we didn't have prior to having the drones," said Wheat Ridge Police Sergeant Bowman.
In the day leading to and following the 4th of July, Wheat Ridge PD plans to use drones to respond to calls of illegal fireworks. In 2023, the department received 90 calls in just a three-day period.
"We receive several calls for service every year regarding fireworks complaints. Police officers and drones, we can't be everywhere at once, so we'll probably monitor the calls for service and respond to the ones that we're able to," said Sgt. Bowman.
Their goal is to be able to respond quickly to calls by drone during a holiday when most officers are patrolling the streets, maximizing the department's efficiency while using new resources.
"We're looking for things or situations related to fireworks that are obviously a danger to the community. Our intention is absolutely not to be Big Brother in the sky, but it's to be more reactive to the citizen's concerns and complaints related to fireworks within our city," said Sgt. Bowman.
Using fireworks in Wheat Ridge is a violation of the city’s fire code and could land you a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail or both.
"This is a new tool for us, and we want to utilize that tool in a different fashion to see if it increases our ability to respond. And that's our sole intent is to respond and serve to address the concerns of the community," said Sgt. Bowman.
