Policy Text
Policy
606San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentUnmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations -
1Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations
606.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of an unmanned aerial system
(UAS) and for the storage, retrieval and dissemination of images and data captured by the UAS.
606.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - An unmanned aircraft of any type that is capable of sustaining
directed flight, whether preprogrammed or remotely controlled (commonly referred to as an
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)), and all of the supporting or attached systems designed for
gathering information through imaging, recording or any other means.
606.2 POLICY
Unmanned aerial systems may be utilized to enhance the department’s mission of protecting lives
and property when other means and resources are not available or are less effective. Any use
of a UAS will be in strict accordance with constitutional and privacy rights and Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) regulations.
606.3 PRIVACY
The use of the UAS potentially involves privacy considerations. Absent a warrant or exigent
circumstances, operators and observers shall not intentionally record or transmit images of any
location where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g., residence, yard,
enclosure). Operators and observers shall take reasonable precautions to avoid inadvertently
recording or transmitting images of areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Reasonable precautions can include, for example, deactivating or turning imaging devices away
from such areas or persons during UAS operations.
606.4 PROGRAM COORDINATOR
The Chief of Police will appoint a program coordinator who will be responsible for the management
of the UAS program. The program coordinator will ensure that policies and procedures conform to
current laws, regulations and best practices and will have the following additional responsibilities:
•Coordinating the FAA Certificates of Waiver
•Ensuring that all authorized operators and required observers have completed all
required FAA and department-approved training in the operation, applicable laws,
policies, and procedures regarding the use of the UAS.
•Ensures protocol is followed for submission and evaluation of requests to deploy
a UAS, including urgent requests made during ongoing or emerging incidents.
Deployment of a UAS shall require the authorization of a Supervisor or Watch
Commander, depending on the type of mission.
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentUnmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations -
2•Developing protocol for conducting criminal investigations involving a UAS, including
documentation of time spent monitoring a subject.
•
•Develop and ensure an operational protocol governing the deployment and operation
of a UAS including, but not limited to, safety oversight, use of visual observers,
establishment of lost link procedures and secure communication with air traffic control
facilities.
•Developing a protocol for fully documenting all missions.
•Developing a UAS inspection, maintenance, and record-keeping protocol to ensure
continuing airworthiness of a UAS, up to and including its overhaul or life limits.
•protocols to ensure that all data intended to be used as evidence are accessed,
maintained, stored, and retrieved in a manner that ensures its integrity as evidence,
including strict adherence to the chain of custody requirements. Electronic trails,
including encryption, authenticity certificates, and date and time stamping, shall be
used as appropriate to preserve individual rights and to ensure the authenticity and
maintenance of a secure evidentiary chain of custody.
•Developing protocols that ensure retention and purge periods are maintained in
accordance with established records retention schedules.
•Facilitating law enforcement access to images and data captured by the UAS.
•Recommending program enhancements, particularly regarding safety and information
security.
•Ensuring that established protocols are followed by monitoring and providing periodic
reports on the program to the Chief of Police.
606.5 PROTOCOL FOR USE OF UAS
•Only authorized operators who have completed the required training shall be permitted
to operate the UAS.
•UAS will only be operated by personnel, both pilots and crew members, who have been
trained and certified in the operation of the system. All agency personnel with UAS
responsibilities, including command officers, will be provided training in the policies
and procedures governing their use.
•All flights will be approved by a supervisor and must be for a legitimate public safety
mission, training, or demonstration purposes.
•An authorized supervisor/administrator will audit flight documentation at regular
intervals. The results of the audit will be documented. Any changes to the flight time
counter will be documented.
•Unauthorized use of a UAS will result in strict accountability.
Use of vision enhancement technology (e.g., thermal and other imaging equipment not generally
available to the public) is permissible in viewing areas only where there is no protectable privacy
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentUnmanned Aerial System (U