The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) says it is adding a new first responder to its team — one that it says can arrive at a scene in 60 seconds and provide initial assessments that could make police response more precise and effective.

The DRPS announced the launch of its Drone First Responder (DFR) pilot project Tuesday “to support faster, safer, and more informed emergency response across the region,” they said in a release.

The limited-time pilot will see a drone launched from a fixed location in response to an eligible 911 call or emergency incident. It will be operated remotely by a trained and certified pilot who will guide it to the scene to capture real-time video that is meant to help emergency responders “understand what they’re walking into,” and they will not be flown in unsafe conditions.

The DRPS says drones can help see hazards before officers approach, understand the layout of the scene during a complex incident, help improve coordination between police, fire and emergency services, locate individuals in distress and enhance safety for all involved.

Cases that are considered eligible for a DFR include missing persons, high risk or unknown risk calls, natural disasters, large or complex scenes, situations where responders face increased risk and major incidents that require rapid situational awareness.

In a promotional video posted to social media and on their website, the DRPS used the case of a missing vulnerable elderly man as an example of when the DFR might be used. The video shows officers making their way through icy roads towards the man’s home, while the drone pilot was able to scan the area around the man’s home within minutes and rule out that location. The pilot was then able to direct officers to a nearby plaza where the man was located.

The police agency specifically noted that the DFR program is not for general surveillance and will not be used for routine monitoring of the public. They will only be flown for a specific emergency or operational purpose. Drones will not be equipped with facial recognition or other automated identification tools and will not be able to record audio.

The program operates under Transport Canada regulations and existing privacy legislation as well as both internal accountability processes within the police force and independent oversight. The video gathered by the drones can only be accessed by authorized personnel and access to it is logged and auditable. The DRPS says that the data is only kept as long as required, following police data retention laws and privacy controls.

The DRPS is holding a public information session for residents to learn more about the program on Feb. 26 at the Audley Recreation Centre in Ajax. Community members will be able to see a live drone demonstration, meet the drone pilots and get more details on how the system works as well as privacy protection.

“DRPS will continue to evaluate the pilot throughout the year, gathering data on response times, safety impacts, operational effectiveness, and community feedback,” said the agency.