York Regional Police is pleased to announce it is piloting a new Drone as First Responder Program.
With the ability to be activated in seconds and arrive at a scene in minutes, the drones will often be the first responder at the scene, providing the ability for pilots to see what is happening on the ground, and to relay critical information to dispatchers and attending officers.
This program reflects the commitment of York Regional Police to harness emerging technology to improve the organization’s ability to serve the community. Benefits include faster response times, improved safety and smarter decision-making capabilities for officers following a call for service.
The drones, to be installed strategically at buildings across the region, are housed in a weather-proof box, to ensure they are ready to be deployed at a moments notice.
The drones will not be used for ongoing patrol, instead, they will be deployed to calls where pilots determine they could be useful. Drones are not used for surveillance and they do not automatically record photos or videos. Instead, the recording functionality must be manually activated by a pilot to capture evidence where appropriate.
York Regional Police will be piloting the Drone as First Responder program for a six-month period.
During the pilot program, four drones will be installed at York Regional Police buildings across the region.
For more information, visit yrp.ca/DroneResponder.
Crime prevention is our shared responsibility: Find up-to-date crime data in York Region on the Community Safety Data Portal, or become a partner in community safety by signing up for the Security Camera Registry today.
Prepared by: Constable James Dickson
May 15, 2026
