The North Bay Police got a glimpse at some advanced drone technology courtesy of the Peel Regional Police Service.
Earlier this week, Peel showed off the new "drone-in-box" technology during a demonstration near the Steve Omischl Sports Complex.
The demonstration allowed officers to see the newest technology, and how it can be used in many different policing applications.
The mock exercise included tracking a vehicle down Lakeshore Drive and into the Omischl parking lot.
When the suspect in the exercise fled into the bush area the drone had no problems following him.
The North Bay Police Service has eight drone pilots, and as drone technology improves, the service believes there is a need to expand police-drone programs throughout Canada.
The “Drone in a Box” technology allows for landing/charging centres to be set up in different areas of the city such as on top of area buildings.
Those drones can deployed remotely from those locations. As this type of program expands, North Bay may have a chance to participate in a pilot project to see if this is a viable program for other police services across the country.
“A drone pilot can be at police headquarters and fly the closest drone to an area where it is needed in any type of application,” said Inspector of Operations, Jeff Warner.
“This technology has been used by Peel Region Police to fly a drone to a crime in progress before officers could physically get there on the ground. Suspects have been followed in real-time and apprehended safely, away from the actual crime scenes.”
Warner and other North Bay officers were shown the footage of a real-life incident from Peel and the subsequent arrests, as part of the in-class training.
Constable Merv Shantz, corporate communications officer with the North Bay Police Service believes the new technology can save time and save lives.
"You can have certain we'll call them launch pads on different rooftops of buildings throughout the city and then what can happen is remotely you can launch a drone from that site and quickly get to or, you know, look for a missing person where time is sensitive," explained Cst. Shantz.
The North Bay Police Service has used its drone successfully on several occasions. In one incident, a missing elderly man was located in the bush.
In another incident where a drone was deployed, a criminal was tracked through the bush and eventually arrested after he had committed several break-and-enters.
