On Friday, Jan. 26, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that his Advisory Group on Unmanned Aircraft Systems issued its final report, which includes a model policy for use by law enforcement.

Along with the creation of a model policy, the report made 14 recommendations, which addressed various topics such as licensure, training, and data/records management.

“With advancements in technology and a decrease in the cost of unmanned aircraft systems, unmanned aircraft have become more common in communities and as tools of law enforcement,” DeWine says.

“The recommendations in this report will help law enforcement develop best practices and protocols that will ensure appropriate privacy, accountability, and oversight when unmanned aircraft are used.”

As a result of the recommendations, DeWine also announced that the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy within the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is developing three new advanced courses on investigating UAS complaints, appropriate law enforcement uses for UAS, and implementation of UAS programs.