From theory to practice: evaluating law enforcement drone programs in the southeast against PERF recommendations

Abstract Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into policing operations has become increasingly common across the United States. In 2020, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, released a report outlining best practices for adopting and using UAS in law enforcement. The focus of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which law enforcement agencies in the southeastern U.S. have aligned their drone programs with the recommendations provided in the PERF report. This study collected survey responses from 204 law enforcement offices across these states. This paper analyzes the survey responses, focusing on the adherence to PERF’s best practices and areas of divergence. Additionally, the study proposes strategic recommendations for state-level agencies to effectively support local law enforcement in implementing the PERF best practices. The objective is to bolster both the effectiveness and the ethical application of drone technology in law enforcement.