Drones / Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

DroneThe Oregon City Police Department recently added Drones/Unmanned Aerial Systems, (UAS), to aid in criminal investigations and search and rescue missions.

Per Oregon City Police Department (OCPD) Policy 603.2: A UAS may be utilized to enhance the department's mission of protecting lives and property when other means and resources are not available or are less effective. Any use of a UAS will be in strict accordance with constitutional, privacy rights, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

Drone Pilot Training

All OCPD operators have completed the required FAA and department training and will adhere to department policies and applicable state and federal laws regarding the use of the UAS.

Permitted Use

The UAS shall only be operated by the Police Department under the following circumstances:

  • When there is probable cause to believe that a person has committed a crime, is committing a crime, or is about to commit a crime, and exigent circumstances exist that make it unreasonable to obtain a warrant authorizing the use.
  • As part of search and rescue activities, as defined in ORS 404.200.
  • When assisting an individual in an emergency if there is a reasonable belief that there is an imminent threat to the life and safety of the individual.
    • A report shall be prepared to document the factual basis for the belief.
    • Within 48 hours of the emergency, a sworn statement shall be filed with the circuit court describing the nature of the emergency and the need for the use of the UAS.

Restricted Use

The UAS shall not be used under the following circumstances:

  • To conduct random surveillance activities
  • To target a person based solely on actual or perceived characteristics such as race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, economic status, age, cultural group, or disability.
    • To harass, intimidate, or discriminate against any individual or group.

UAS Flight Information

OCPD UAS Pilots create UAS flight reports for each UAS deployment. All flight reports are reviewed, then made available for viewing. See the supporting documents section below to review UAS flight report summaries. View UAS Flight Deployments from 2021 to the present.

Incident Date Flight Time Deployment Summary
11/1/2023 2:25am-2:40am UAS deployed as an assist to West Linn PD based on an alarm call at a West Linn Elementary School. Upon arrival, several youth were observed trespassing inside the school. The youth ran from Police and were believed to have access to the school roof. The UAS was used to successfully locate 4 subjects hiding under the school roof's air conditioning unit; the youth were taken into custody by West Linn Police Department.
11/1/2023 1:45am-2:15am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO with locating a suspect involved in a domestic disturbance. After searching for some time, alongside Patrol ground units, the suspect was not located.
10/30/2023 11:00pm-11:45pm UAS deployed as an assist to OCPD Patrol in locating a suspect based on probable cause to arrest the suspect for Criminal Mischief II. The suspect fled the scene when patrol ground units arrived, but was later located and taken into custody without incident.
10/18/2023 12:20am-2:20am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO in an effort to locate a missing elderly dementia patient. The subject was located 1 mile from the facility they had left earlier that day, and was returned to the facility where they were medically cleared.
10/11/2023 4:15am-4:45am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a report of a burglary at a Wilsonville restaurant. The UAS pilot searched the area from the roof of the restaurant establishment, but was not successful in locating the suspect.
10/6/2023 12:03am-12:16am UAS deployed to a domestic disturbance. After the suspect fled the scene into a wooden canyon near the call location, the UAS pilot successfully located them, and directed ground units to take them into custody.
9/20/2023 12:50am-1:30am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a report of a vehicle driver who fled a traffic stop on foot and had probable cause for their arrest. The area was searched while a K-9 attempted a track but was not successful in locating the suspect. 
9/19/2023 10:30pm-11:15pm UAS deployed as an assist to Tualatin and Lake Oswego PD based on the report of an assault. OCPD UAS searched in conjunction with Beaverton PD's UAS but were not successful in locating the assault suspect.
9/18/2023 11:11pm-11:22pm UAS deployed based on a report of a robbery that occurred at the 7-Eleven Store on Washington Street in Oregon City. The robbery suspect fled the scene on foot. UAS and a K9 Ground Unit worked together to track the suspect but were not successful. 
9/13/2023 12:00am-4:30am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a vehicle pursuit where the driver fled on foot into a greenspace. With the use of the UAS IR camera, the drone pilot briefly located a subject in a large green space, but had to replace batteries, and eventually lost sight of the subject. A K9 ground team searched the last point the subject was seen by UAS, but was unable to locate the subject. 
9/7/2023 4:01pm-4:26pm UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a reported suicide threat call in Damascus. OCPD's UAS located the subject and directed deputies to the location to render aid.
9/5/2023 12:00am-2:00am UAS deployed as an assist to OSP and CCSO as they searched for a subject who fled a traffic stop and had a warrant out of the US Marshal's Service. The subject was located using the drone and taken into custody without incident.
8/6/2023 8:30pm-12:30am UAS deployed as an assist to OCPD, CCSO SWAT, and other local authorities to provide over watch as SWAT breached the front door of the residence and as the suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody.
8/4/2023 12:03am-12:10am Milwaukie Police was investigating a burglary in progress and OCPD's UAS was used to search the area for a possible suspect. No suspect was located. 
7/26/2023 1:20am-1:35am UAS deployed as an assist to Portland Police and CCSO based on a report of a suspect eluding PPB who crashed into a motorist, then fled the scene on foot. The UAS was flown in conjunction  with a K9 ground team and PPB's UAS. The OCPD UAS Pilot located the suspect hiding in bushes and was able to guide the K9 team to where the suspect was hiding, resulting in a successful capture.
7/25/2023 2:30am-3:00am UAS deployed as an assist to Clackamas Fire based on a report of a wildfire or reckless burning on a vacant property. It was reported the fire was spreading into trees, and was not easily accessible on foot. The UAS was used to assist fire personnel with locating the fire, monitoring it's progress and to locate any individuals who might be in harms way. Fire personnel were able to extinguish the fire before it go out of control.
7/23/2023 5:21 am-6:21am &
8:30am-8:35am
 UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO with attempting to locate a suspect in the area of SE Linwood/SE King Ave. The suspect was first located in a vehicle, then fled from the vehicle on foot. The UAS searched while a K9 Team conducted a track for the suspect. The suspect was not located during this flight. The second UAS assist took place at 8:30am as a follow up to the earlier flight. After a short 5 minute flight the suspect was located by a K9 team on the ground.
7/19/2023 9:55pm-10:35pm Pursuant to a valid search warrant the OCPD's UAS was used to conduct surveillance.
7/19/2023 4:50am-5:50am Portland Police pursued a vehicle into Milwaukie, which was later picked up by Milwaukie Police and CCSO. The driver fled the vehicle and was a subject with a warrant out of the U.S. Marshall's Office Service. The subject had been seen fleeing through yards and despite the use of a K9 Team and UAS, the subject was not located.
7/13/2023 3:30am-3:40am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a call regarding an elderly dementia patient who had walked away from their known location. The person had been missing for an unknown period of time and required the assistance of a walker. Within 5 minutes of flight time, the UAS operator located the missing person and successfully guided the CCSO Deputy to their location for further evaluation.
7/13/2023 1:00am-1:33am UAS deployed as an assist to Oregon State Police (OSP) based on an active hit/run traffic crash investigation. After 32 minutes of flight and determining there was no property damage, OSP notified the UAS operator who landed the drone and cleared the scene. 
6/1/2023 12:38pm-12:44pm UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a call regarding a domestic with a weapon and possible shots fired. After searching the area around the location of the call, one subject was located and it was discovered that no shots were fired. 
5/29-/2023-5/30/2023  12:30am-1:00am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a vehicle pursuit where the suspect’s vehicle crashed as the driver fled on foot. There was probable cause to arrest the driver for felony elude. The UAS searched the area with the infrared camera function. During the flight a CCSO K-9 Team located the suspect in a heavily wooded area and took them into custody.
5/29/2023 10:30pm-11:00pm UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a report of a possible trespasser. There was probable cause to believe the subject was on the property and believed to possibly be armed. The UAS searched the property and the surrounding area and did not locate the suspect. 
5/21/2023 1:47am-2:08am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO to provide over watch for units responding to a suicidal subject who had fired a handgun inside a residence. The subject was taken into custody without incident.
5/12/2023  6:17pm-6:41pm  UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO to help search for a subject wanted in connection with multiple charges and outstanding warrants for their arrest. The UAS search was not successful in locating the subject. 
5/6/2023 7:51pm-10:15pm UAS was requested to assist in a search and rescue mission based on the report a child was reported to be missing. UAS searched the area with no success. The child was found the next day by ground search teams. 
5/1/2023  3:00am-3:30am  UAS deployed based on a report of multiple subjects roaming a neighborhood, breaking into cars. One car window had been smashed and the reporting party saw suspects leaving the area on foot. The UAS searched the neighborhood for ~30 minutes but was not able to located suspects.
4/27/2023  2:00pm-8:00pm UAS was requested to assist CCSO with an organized retail theft operation at Burlington Coat Factory. UAS used to assist ground units only if there was probable cause to believe a crime had been committed. No pictures or video were taken. 
4/21/2023 10:03am-10:15am UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO based on a reported burglary in progress. After a UAS search the suspect(s) were not located. 
4/18/2023 2:36am-3:26am  UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO following a vehicle accident where the driver fled on foot. After containment was established the OCPD UAS was deployed, providing an extensive search. The subject was not located. 
4/12/2023 1:58am-2:12am UAS deployed based on a dispatched call to a silent alarm at the OCSLA school. The UAS was launched and provided over watch for ground units while they established a perimeter around the location. Ground Officers contacted the subjects inside the school and took them into custody for Trespass.
4/11/2023 11:35pm-11:50pm  UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO in an attempt to locate a fleeing subject following a traffic stop. A K-9 Team was also deployed, but the subject was not located and no evidence was collected. 
4/7/2023 8:22pm-9:10pm UAS deployed following a vehicle pursuit and accident. The driver was immediately taken into custody and the two passengers were later located by the UAS hiding in heavy brush.
3/29/2023  11:12pm-11:40pm UAS deployed in conjunction with K9 teams in an attempt to locate a suspect involved in an armed robbery.
3/25/2023 9:59pm-10:30pm UAS deployed as an assist to Portland Police following a pursuit involving a homicide suspect.
3/24/2023  9:39pm-9:45pm  UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO following a vehicle pursuit where the suspect fled on foot. The suspect was captured by responding officers before the UAS could locate them.
3/18/2023 7:15pm-7:29pm UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO in an attempt to locate a suspect who was reported to be involved in a domestic incident. After a short flight, CCSO discontinued their investigation.
3/17/2023  9:03pm-9:36pm UAS deployed as an assist to West Linn PD in an attempt to locate a burglary suspect. 
3/16/2023 10:49pm-12:11pm  UAS deployed as an assist to Milwaukie PD following a reported shooting. The suspect was reported on scene, in a vehicle. UAS successfully located the suspect who was taken into custody by Milwaukie PD and CCSO.
2/20/2023-2/21/2023 12:17pm-1:15am  UAS deployed in conjunction with multiple agencies in an attempt to locate a suspect involved in a vehicle pursuit. 
2/16/2023 11:49pm-12:57pm UAS deployed as an assist to CCSO and used to search for a suspect who had eluded police and crashed in Wilsonville.