Cleveland Police Drone Policy
Cleveland Police have received approval to use drones under
a new
policy passed by the Cleveland Community Police Commission in November
2024. The policy permits drone use for law enforcement purposes but explicitly
prohibits deployment for crowd control or protest surveillance. All drone
deployments must be approved by the police chief, and flight paths are required
to be posted online within 48 hours. Video footage will be deleted after 30
days unless needed for an active investigation.
However, the Cleveland Police Chief and several city council
members are taking
issue with the restrictions outlined in the approved policy.