The North Rhine-Westphalian police will be equipped with 106 drones from 2021. This was announced by Interior Minister Herbert Reul at a press event in Neuss on Monday, October 12, 2020. "Drones make the work of the police easier in many areas and expand their possibilities - especially when it comes to pursuing criminals, investigating and securing evidence of crimes or recording traffic accidents," said Reul during the press conference.

From next year, the State Office for Central Police Services (LZPD) will equip the 16 Forensic Investigation Units (KTU), the Crime Scene Investigation Group of the State Office of Criminal Investigation and the riot police with 76 drones. Up to 186 police officers from these areas will then take on the role of remote pilot in addition to their current work. In a second step, the traffic accident investigation teams of the district police authorities will receive 30 drones. Around 90 additional police officers will be trained as remote pilots. The LZPD had previously tested the drones as part of a pilot project together with the State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA), the State Office for Training, Further Education and Personnel Affairs (LAFP) and ten district police authorities. "We have identified individual areas in which it makes particular sense to use drones. If further demand arises, we will also include this in our planning," said the Minister.

With the purchases planned so far, the state is investing almost one million euros in technical equipment for the police. However, Reul emphasized that every patrol car will not be equipped with a drone across the board.

You can view the image video on the drone project at the following link: https://youtu.be/QYxvR759ocE.