The Petaluma Police Department has announced another arrest aided by technology, this time involving an aerial drone.
Officers responding to a domestic disturbance on Lakeville Circle learned the suspect had fled on foot. Within 15 minutes of deploying the drone, officers located the suspect, 21-year-old David Flores-Flores, about a mile away. He was arrested without incident. Police emphasized the drone’s value in providing real-time footage, accessing difficult areas, and improving officer safety, calling it a cost-effective alternative to helicopters.
This incident follows a recent arrest made with the help of the city’s license plate-reading cameras, highlighting the department’s increasing use of advanced technology. Petaluma Police purchased seven drones and a ground robot in the last fiscal year.
