Mesa Police drone helps catch domestic violence suspect, locate fentanyl and gun
MESA, Ariz. - Drones are quickly becoming a game changer for local law enforcement.
In Mesa, police say drone technology didn't just help track down a domestic violence suspect, it led officers straight to contraband he left behind.
Mesa police say their drone caught a domestic violence suspect fleeing on foot and captured video of him tossing contraband into a bush.
The backstory:
On Oct. 7, police responded to a domestic violence call near Mesa Drive and Brown Road. Before officers arrived, the suspect took off on foot, and the victim warned them he was armed. A few blocks away, a drone crew spotted him.
"The drone and officers located the suspect nearby in a canal area," said Robert Katz with the Mesa Police Department.
But the drone's eye in the sky caught something else on camera.
"The drone captured what appeared to be the suspect throwing something, which later on officers were able to locate what we believe he threw, and it's a bag of suspected fentanyl," Katz said. "Officers did locate a firearm nearby there as well."
Mesa police say their drone caught a domestic violence suspect fleeing on foot and captured video of him tossing contraband into a bush.
Dig deeper:
The suspect, 42-year-old Brandon Harris, was taken into custody and now faces heavy charges.
During initial appearance court proceedings, a judge noted, "You were arrested for possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, that's a class 4 felony, assault and disorderly conduct, class 1 misdemeanors."
"The drone as a first responder was vital in this case," Katz said. "Especially for getting that footage of this person throwing something. Otherwise, we don't know if officers would have located that, and it could be very dangerous."
'Information that we didn't used to have'
Why you should care:
Mesa Police have been operating their drone program for about two years now. Officers say this technology is changing the way they respond to calls.
"The drone can get a wider shot, it can get a different view, it can help locate anybody in that area — it's just got a better vantage point than maybe just an officer on the street," Katz said. "It can get there ahead of time of officers and help them with the decision-making as far as where to approach or what to do, or just what's happening before they get there. It's information that we didn't used to have."
Mesa Police confirm that these drones are only used for active scenes and investigations.
Map of the area where the incident began to unfold
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Robert Katz, a representative with the Mesa Police Department; and official court video footage from an initial appearance hearing.