The Montgomery County Police Department’s Drone as First Responder program assisted in locating a missing 5-year-old and helped apprehend six suspects during three separate incidents on March 13, 2025. The drone, known as RAVEN, provided officers with real-time aerial support, leading to quick arrests in two theft cases and the safe recovery of the missing child.
At approximately 1:10 p.m., Montgomery County Department of Police -3rd District officers were dispatched to a theft in progress in the 900 block of Thayer Ave. While officers were driving to the scene, RAVEN was dispatched and observed two suspects leaving the store. RAVEN was able to direct officers to the suspects’ location from overhead. Both suspects were located and quickly apprehended.
At approximately 4:35 p.m., 4th District officers were dispatched to the area of Pennydog Court for the report of a missing 5-year-old child. The drone was deployed and arrived first on scene to assist. While overhead, RAVEN located the missing 5-year-old and was able to relay the exact location to officers on scene, who quickly reunited the child with their parents.
At approximately 7:56 p.m., 2nd District officers were dispatched to a theft that occurred at a Nike Store in the 7100 block of Arlington Road. RAVEN was deployed to assist officers on scene. Upon its arrival, the drone located the suspects from overhead and was able to provide an exact address of their location to officers on the ground. All four suspects were quickly apprehended without incident.
In total, RAVEN was dispatched and completed seventeen separate missions to assist officers on Thursday, March 13.
For more information on the Drone as First Responder program, please visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/howdoI/drone-as-first-responder.html“