BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is expanding its drone program, citing the technology as a critical tool for de-escalation, officer safety and effective policing, KOAT reported.
Sheriff John Allen says the success of the program has not only transformed response strategies but also helped attract and retain new deputies.
| IACP 2025 Quick Take: How 3 agencies are scaling Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs
“From an officer safety standpoint, it’s making deputies slow down, use the resources and it’s literally de-escalating right in front of our eyes,” Allen told KOAT.
Since its launch two years ago with nine drones, the BCSO drone program has grown to 25 aircraft, including several Skydio drones added in January 2025. The drones are regularly deployed in searches for missing persons, pursuit situations and suspect tracking, according to the report.
In one recent case, deputies used a drone to locate a missing 8-year-old by detecting a heat signature behind a bush. In another, the technology was used to assist with a call involving children armed with a loaded gun.
Deputies are increasingly requesting drone support, and demand is growing beyond Bernalillo County.
“We had a request yesterday from another county for us to send our drone unit up there,” Allen told KOAT.
To meet the growing need, BCSO is hiring full-time drone pilots and planning to deploy drone “pods” throughout the county by the end of November. These pods will house multiple drones, giving deputies quicker access to aerial support during calls.
The agency has also pre-ordered AI-powered interior drones capable of navigating inside buildings and tight spaces autonomously, according to the report. Allen expects to integrate at least nine of these into the program by spring 2026.
The tech-forward approach is helping BCSO achieve a near-record staffing rate. The department is expected to reach between 92% and 95% staffing by the end of the year — a milestone Allen says is rare across any law enforcement agency.
“I know for 10 years that I’ve been here, it’s always been hard to get past 90%,” Allen said, crediting both a modern workplace culture and a focus on technology for improved recruiting.
Recent staffing gains include five lateral hires, 19 cadets graduating in October, and up to 15 more deputies expected in the near future. BCSO currently employs 335 deputies, with roughly one-third assigned to patrol. The rest are spread across specialized units such as homicide, child crimes, restraining orders, evictions and extraditions, which span the state and country.
Looking ahead, Allen hopes to grow the force to 350 and eventually 400 deputies, though he acknowledges that would require significant additional funding for salaries, vehicles and equipment.
In the short term, Allen plans to bolster the department’s Metro Unit, a proactive team that responds to emerging public safety issues, according to the report. The unit currently includes four deputies and one sergeant, with plans to add another deputy soon. The added resources will also allow BCSO to assist the Albuquerque Police Department when needed.
“When you recruit … and say, ‘You’re going to use this technology on day one, not when you have five, seven, nine years on the agency,’ that really speaks volumes,” Allen said.
