Sheriff's Office

In 2016 the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office established a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) program. These systems, more commonly known as drones, are an additional resource that can aid with current investigative techniques and personnel. In addition, the Office of the Sheriff provides various support for all thirty-three (33) municipalities within Ocean County. The primary objective of this program is to provide low-level airborne reconnaissance of situations that would otherwise be impractical or unsafe for human observers.

The Office of the Sheriff currently has sixteen (16) different aircraft in its fleet, many of which are outfitted with high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging cameras. Aircraft equipped with these sensors have proven to be useful in a variety of situations including searching for a missing person in a wooded area or over water, fire ground applications and event situational awareness.

To maintain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operating compliance, the Office of the Sheriff has established a policy to utilize our small unmanned aircraft systems in compliance with FAA Part 107 guidelines and in accordance with the Certificate of Authorization issued to this agency by the FAA.

The Office of the Sheriff currently has thirteen (13) FAA licensed remote pilots and continues to develop the program in an effort to be even more responsive to the communities that we serve. To carry out this mission, the Office of the Sheriff must always be willing to leverage the benefits of new and expansive technologies. This will enable us to work in ways that are more effective, efficient, and safe for everyone.