CALDWELL, Idaho (CBS2) — Caldwell Police officers have located two missing children, reportedly with the help of drones.
CPD is reporting that two children, ages 2 and 3, have been safely reunited with their parents after Caldwell Police officers were able to quickly deploy drone technology.
Officers responded around 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning to a residence on Hope Ln. for a report of two missing children. The parents told police they had been searching for nearly an hour without being able to locate them. Personnel at the Caldwell Police Department’s Real Time Information Center (RTIC) deployed the department’s Drone First Responder Program.
Idahonews.com has previously reported on Caldwell’s new drone program initiative; you can read that story here.
The drone operator spotted two children in a secluded wooded area roughly 500 yards from the residence, according to CPD. The location was reportedly difficult to see and access from the ground. The drone team guided officers directly to their location, where both children were found safe and treated for minor injuries while walking through the terrain.
“When a child is missing, every minute matters,” said Chief Rex Ingram. “This is exactly why we continue to invest in technology that gives our officers additional tools to protect our community. Our drone didn’t replace the officers searching on the ground, it gave them another set of eyes from above and allowed us to locate these children quickly in an area that would have been difficult to search on foot. Most importantly, two children are safe and back with their family.”
