Mobile, AL police management have an enlightened and active drone program. Some time back, I heard them explain the careful way they train, prepare for and use drones in everyday situations.

In one, an perp armed with a gun was fleeing from the police at night in a wooded area. The general idea was to use noise and advancing police dogs and flashlights to try to drive him away from where innocents could be hurt and into a net of police on the other side.

They launched a drone with infrared and were able to clearly note the changing positions of law enforcement. But the perp hid under some metal sheeting and was unable to be spotted, except for one extended arm left exposed. And a small warm object (the gun).

The drone was able to see a leashed dog pulling its handler dangerously close to the perp. Urgent halt orders were issued and the officer withdrew until the dog was released and the perp was subdued.

Here the lesson of seamless communication between all the involved parties and teams averted a tragedy.

Expect more from this forward-thinking Mobile “mobile” force.