The Tate County Sheriff’s Office is upping its game in responding to emergency situations.
Three county employees recently completed training and earned National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Level 1 UAS certification – a national requirement for skilled emergency drone operations.
They include TCSO Director of Unmanned Aircraft System Jacob Red, EMA Director Jim Huestis and Constable Ben Bryok. The training and certification the trio received strengthens the county’s ability to respond quickly and safely when it matters most, according to Red.
“Much of this began when Sheriff Luke Shepherd first took office and we were still using basic thermal drones,” Red said. “There was an incident on Highway 305 where a subject fired shots at a deputy which led to a manhunt. DeSoto County SWAT assisted by bringing its drones, so we quickly realized the need for an upgrade.”
Red said the SWAT team cleared buildings using interior drones, while TCSO provided aerial overwatch in heavy rain despite its drones not being rated for wet conditions.
“That experience underscored the risks to both officers and the community when operating without proper all-weather equipment,” he added. “We’ve grown our program enough now to where we can assist other counties like Desoto does.”
With approval from the Board of Supervisors, TCSO purchased new all-weather drones. The upgraded system has become vital in a wide range of operations including search and rescue missions, locating jail escapees and suspects fleeing from traffic stops. It has also proved valuable in hazardous materials incidents and monitoring remote grass fires in areas inaccessible to ground crews or vehicles.
In July, TCSO assisted in a multi-agency search for a wanted fugitive in Tallahatchie County. Tate County authorities coordinated with the Desoto County Search and Rescue Director to provide drone support and assisted ground teams led by the Tallahatchie County Sheriff's Office.
The operation eventually extended into Hernando where the Desoto County Sheriff's Office and Hernando Police Department apprehended a separate individual with active arrest warrants.
“We’ve also successfully used the new drones in various search and rescue situations as well as for crime scene mapping at Arkabutla Lake,” Red said. “They provide accurate aerial documentation that would have been difficult or unsafe to achieve otherwise.”
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