Henderson police are preparing to expand a “Drone as First Responder” program that sends unmanned aerial vehicles to emergency calls before patrol cars or fire trucks can arrive. Chief Reggie Rader explained that the drones can fly over traffic and give officers eyes on a scene faster than traditional units, providing critical intelligence and reducing the risk of officers walking into ambush situations.

During a 30‑day pilot conducted this spring, the drones arrived first on approximately 70% of the calls they were dispatched to, according to Fox 5. In addition, the pilot cleared officers from about 16% of calls that later turned out to be false alarms, allowing personnel to focus on genuine emergencies.

The program is limited to specific calls for service; it is not intended for general neighborhood surveillance. Once launched, a drone’s camera remains pointed at the horizon until the aircraft reaches the incident site, ensuring privacy while still delivering real‑time situational awareness.

Chief Rader described the initiative as a “force multiplier” that frees officers to conduct more proactive patrols and community‑focused policing. He noted that a federal Homeland Security grant and contributions from a police foundation are funding the system, meaning city tax dollars are not being used for the pilot.

Local officials are now reviewing the pilot’s results and are moving toward making the public‑safety drone program permanent, Fox 5 reported. The city plans to assess the data and determine next steps in the coming months.

What’s next: Henderson city leaders will evaluate the pilot’s performance metrics and hold a public discussion on adopting the drone responder system on a permanent basis later this year.

Sources: fox5vegas.com, fox5vegas.com, fox5vegas.com