This thermal image of Town Hall was taken with one of the Police Department’s new drones. PHOTO/HOPKINTON POLICE
The Hopkinton Police Department will have eyes in the skies following its acquisition of two drones that will greatly expand the department’s capabilities to analyze concerning situations and assist town departments.
“They’re a game changer for law enforcement,” said Detective Sgt. Gregg DeBoer.
One of the drones cost about $1,000 and is small and highly maneuverable, DeBoer said. The larger drone has more sophisticated height, video and sound capabilities.
“The [overall] price was approximately $7,000 and was funded by a generous donation from Middlesex Savings Bank,” DeBoer explained in an interview with the Independent on Aug. 8. The drones were purchased last month.
DeBoer lamented that the public has a limited understanding of drones and how they can be used in preventing and solving crimes.
“People think that a drone is just a big toy they can buy for their kids to take pictures,” he said. “But they have so many amazing capabilities that can help us assess situations and protect emergency personnel.”
DeBoer noted that he completed the training and testing needed to earn a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 107 Unmanned Aircraft Systems license to be able to pilot the drones. The FAA requires anyone who is using a drone for purposes beyond recreational flying, or a drone weighing more than 249 grams, to be licensed.
“The smaller one can enter a home and help us see inside so we know exactly where to send emergency responders,” he noted. “This way, we don’t have to send several officers in to assess a situation. It saves valuable time and keeps us from putting officers at risk.”
Another example he gave is the ability of drones to use infrared technology to detect hot spots. He shared two pictures of how the infrared feature can be used to find people or detect car engine activity because of heat.
“They can also be used to detect brush fires,” he added. “This way, firefighters can head right to the area instead of searching through the woods. We have so much woodland here in Hopkinton with Whitehall [State Park], Hopkinton State Park and Upton State Forest that we can monitor from overhead.”
This technology would have been valuable during two emergencies last year, DeBoer said. One was when a Hopkinton swimmer drowned last summer in Lake Maspenock. The other was when an 84-year-old resident wandered out of The Communities at Golden Pond assisted living facility in September 2023 and later died after being discovered in an area of thick brush.
“In the case of the man who drowned, the drone picks up anomalies in the water because it can look straight down rather than across,” DeBoer explained. “In the case of the elderly gentleman, we could have used the drone’s programmable search grids to create a geofence to ensure a thorough search of an area.”
Added DeBoer: “The ability to fly a drone over an area and find a lost person is invaluable.”
Currently, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is the only organization allowed to use helicopters that help in such instances. But because the MSP’s two helicopters usually are pulled toward emergencies in large cities, the drone technology can provide a “helpful stopgap” until a helicopter becomes available.
The drones can take pictures every two seconds, and the larger one can take video and broadcast audio messages from up to 400 feet in the air. As an example, they could be used to manage incidents such as those with jet skiers and partiers after hours at Sandy Beach.
Said DeBoer: “I can monitor everything on video and then broadcast a recorded message telling them to stop.”
DeBoer plans on using this technology to help other town departments. He has spoken with Dave Daltorio, the town’s engineer/facilities director, about using the drones to assess building conditions, such as Town Hall’s roof.
“Before, you’d have to hire an entire crew to go up to the roof and assess where it needs to be fixed,” he explained. “Now we can pinpoint a location, which saves the town money.”
DeBoer also plans on connecting with the Fire Department, Department of Public Works and the Health Department to see how the drones can assist them. The drones are battery powered and are easily portable, he noted.
“The drones can even be helpful for simple stuff like seeing where the beavers are building their dams,” he said. “Because of the amount of damage they have already caused, the town has been hiring trappers. We can pinpoint where they should go with a drone.”
DeBoer noted that the HPD has had an influx of new recruits who may not be familiar with the town. The drone’s videos can educate them on the quickest routes to locations.
He also will use the drones to engage with residents on social media, showing them unique perspectives of town landmarks through pictures and videos.
“It’s amazing what they can do from the law enforcement side,” he said. “I personally love the videos, and I think people really want to see their town.”
Does the HPD plan to use drones as part of routine town patrols or just in specific emergency situations? That seems like an important policy to understand from a privacy standpoint,