Small Unmanned Aerial Systems / Drones

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The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS / Drones). Drones, also referred to as Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) may be utilized to enhance the department’s mission of protecting lives and property when other means and resources are not available or may be less effective. This is especially true in Search and Rescue missions in wilderness areas that are inaccessible by foot or horse.

Sheriff’s Office General Order 10.01 Small Unmanned Aerial Systems / Drone establishes policy regarding the use of sUAS and includes the following information:

I. Privacy

The use of Drones involves privacy considerations.

A. Drone operations will be conducted in accordance with all laws and regulations, including Federal, State and Local.

B. Remote Pilot In Command 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 Drone operations.

C. Use of facial recognition technology during drone operations is prohibited.

D. A notice shall be maintained on the Sheriff’s Office website informing the public of the existence of the sUAS program and the safeguards in place for privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties concerns, as well as the procedures in place for filing a complaint..

IX. Retention and Release of UAS Data
All evidentiary data will be maintained in accordance with established Sheriff’s Office evidence handling and retention standards. Public records requests for this data will be handled in accordance with Oregon Public Records law with any needed guidance from Lane County Counsel.

Please visit Oregon Revised Statute 192.345 - Public records conditionally exempt from disclosure for the law regarding the policies and procedures to be established for the use of data obtained by the use of drones.

Complaints regarding the use of the sUAS can be filed using the complaint form.

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