Norfolk Constabulary has launched a five-week trial of a new ‘Drone as First Responder’ (DFR) concept designed to enhance the force's ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents across the county. The trial began on Monday 7 September and will see drones strategically based in Norwich, Thetford, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn. The drones can be deployed remotely to rapidly provide officers with a live aerial view of incidents, helping them make informed decisions and direct resources where they are needed most. Piloted by specially trained officers, the drones can be used to support a range of policing activity, including locating missing people, tracking suspects, searching large areas, assessing developing incidents and providing real-time intelligence to officers responding on the ground. The drones will operate alongside our fleet of ‘business as usual’ drones which already attend hundreds of incidents each year. The Drone as First Responder concept is being developed nationally through the National Police Chiefs' Council and has already demonstrated significant benefits in other force areas. By delivering an immediate aerial perspective, drones can help officers reach vulnerable people more quickly, improve situational awareness and support the safe and effective deployment of resources. The technology has the potential to reduce the need for officers to carry out time-consuming searches, provide vital information during fast-moving incidents and help identify risks before officers arrive on scene. Superintendent Sutherland Lane, said: "We're excited to launch this five-week trial and explore how Drone as First Responder technology can further enhance the service we provide to the people of Norfolk. "Having the ability to quickly establish an aerial view of an incident can help our control room and responding officers make better-informed decisions, improve the safety of both the public and our staff, and ensure resources are deployed where they can have the greatest impact. "Drones have already become an invaluable policing tool for searching for missing people, locating suspects and supporting incident response. This trial will help us understand how a dedicated first responder capability could improve our efficiency and effectiveness even further." The force recognises that members of the public may have questions about how the technology will be used and is keen to reassure communities that all drone deployments will be conducted within strict legal and regulatory frameworks. Superintendent Sutherland Lane added: "We understand that some people may have concerns about privacy and I want to reassure the public that these drones will only be deployed for legitimate policing purposes where there is a clear operational need. "Every flight is subject to robust governance, oversight and regulation. The technology is not about surveillance of law-abiding residents; it is about helping us protect people, locate those who are vulnerable, respond more effectively to incidents and ultimately keep our communities safe. "We're looking forward to evaluating the results of the trial and seeing how this innovative technology can help improve our service to the public." The trial will run for five weeks, after which the force will review the outcomes and assess the benefits, challenges and opportunities presented by the Drone as First Responder model. | 
