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Jeff is a graduate of the 165th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. He also attended the Law Enforce- ment Leadership Academy, and became a Certified Law Enforcement Executive through the Law Enforcement Foundation in 2004. He states that his wife was very supportive of his desire to attend the NA, knowing that he desired a spot at the Academy for many years prior to his meeting her. When questioned about his time at Quantico Jeff states: “I enjoyed the leadership classes at the NA.” He found the elec- tive course called “Violence in America” taught by SA Hazelwood , very intriguing. This class looked at a number of high profile cases and killers in the history of our country. He also found the physical fitness regimen of the Academy quite beneficial for him, at that time in his life. Jeff cannot think of anything that he disliked about the NA ex- perience. He loved the interaction with the International Students and hearing about the issues they faced as Law Enforcement Officers. Having spent most of his life in the mid-west, he savored the op- portunity to spend an extended time in and around Washington D.C. He took advantage of many opportunities to explore Washington dur- ing his twelve week session. Like many of us, he still keeps in contact a company like Pix4D . This software and training will be an additional cost to the original UAS purchase. Agencies will also need to determine if they will need to equip their UAS with a thermal camera, like the ones manufactured by companies like FLIR. Thermal imaging systems are valuable tools when conducing operations in poor lighting conditions, or when assisting on fire calls. Thermal imagers can detect different temperatures, and displays that on a screen in varying shades of gray. This allows operators to see people that might be lost or hiding, or show where hot spots are when fighting a fire. PART 107 VERSUS CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION Agencies considering purchasing a UAS will need to decide which method of obtaining Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) approval they want to utilize. In the past, governmental agencies had to apply for a Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the FAA to obtain flight approval. This was often a long and complicated process, with many restrictions. In 2016 the FAA began allowing operators to fly under a Part 107 license, which is a simpler application process. The Airborne Public Safety Association recommends agencies starting a UAS pro-

with some of the session mates; though as people have retired, that continued contact becomes difficult. He does regret not keeping up with the International Relationships. The advise that Jeff offers to those he speaks with that are heading off to Quantico is simple; “Just take the time to soak it all in. You are surrounded by police professionals from around the world. Don’t get too focused on the academics of the academy at the expense of fostering long- term relationships with your classmates.” As he continues on through his decades long Law Enforcement journey, he values the ongoing access to training opportunities at the State Chapter level and believes that they are “ absolutely critical” to his continued professional development. Jeff has no desire to slow down and says that he plans to continue in his current position(s) for a number of years yet; simply stating that “the Good Lord has continued to provide me health and has placed me in a wonderful department that is just as much a family to me as it is a work- place.” Serving in the appointed position of National Board Chaplain, Jeff will serve on the NA Executive Board until July 2020. gram to operate under Part 107 for that reason. Prospective agency pilots will need to successfully obtain their Remote Pilot Airman Cer- tificate through the FAA prior to any flight operations. SUMMARY Operating a UAS program can provide great benefits to a law en- forcement agency, and the lower cost of acquisition is very appealing to agencies that ordinarily could not have afforded manned aviation assets. If an agency decides to move forward with a UAS program, it will be critical that they do their due diligence and research available resources for critical issues like policy, training, operation, and equipment selection. References Gettinger, D. (2017, April). Public Safety Drones . Retrieved February 18, 2018, from http://dronecenter.bard.edu/files/2017/04/CSD-Public-Safety-Drones-Web.pdf International Association of Chiefs of Police. (2012, August). Recommended Guidelines for the use of Unmanned Aircraft. Retrieved February 18, 2018, from http://www. theiacp.org/portals/0/pdfs/IACP_UAGuidelines.pdf Quistorf, B. (2015, March & April). Creating an Airspace Deconfliction Plan for Manned and Unmanned Aircraft. Airbeat Magazine, 20-22.

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About the Author: Dave Ellis (NA #271) is Undersheriff of Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

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