PONTIAC (WWJ) -- The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said their Drones as First Responders program was critical in the safe arrest of an armed man in Pontiac.
The Oakland County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The caller said they saw a man "wearing camouflage clothing and carrying both a long rifle and a hand gun had entered a wooded area near a domestic violence shelter in Pontiac," a press release from the Sheriff's Office said.
A drone was immediately launched by the Drones as First Responders program. Authorities said the drone operators quickly found the suspect and confirmed he was armed.
Responding deputies were given real-time information from the operators. The Sheriff's Office said the drone team were able to provide "critical situational awareness, allowing deputies to approach in a tactically safe manner." 21-year-old Joseph Edward Smith, of Pontiac, was arrested without incident.
"This is one more poignant example of how our DFR program dramatically increases the safety and response to emergency incidents," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "The ability to rapidly locate an armed individual, provide real-time intelligence to responding deputies, and help bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion protects both the public and our first responders."
Smith was arraigned Friday on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm.
The Sheriff's Office has operated the Drones as First Responders program for more than four years. Authorities said the program is designed to provide real-time information that enhances public safety, improves response times and helps reduce the likelihood of dangerous confrontations during active emergency calls.
