Building a defensible DFR policy: Inside Minnetonka PD’s approach

Synopsis

Many agencies struggle to finalize DFR policy because they treat it like a traditional drone program and secondary to patrol operations

Minnetonka Police Department approached DFR differently. From the beginning, they viewed DFR as a response capability, not a specialized tool. That meant building structured flight standards, formalized procedures, and clear legal defensibility for every mission.

In this session, Deputy Chief Jason Tait and Supervisor Garith Scherck will walk through how they structured, implemented, and operationalized their DFR policy to support daily flight operations under Minnesota state law.

Key takeaways:

• The structural difference between a specialized drone program and a fully operational response model
• What operational discipline looks like in a program that flies every day
• How to design reporting structures that ensure accountability and withstand public scrutiny
• The early decisions Minnetonka made that allowed them to scale with confidence

This webinar examines a working system used daily by an active DFR program. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for aligning policy, procedure, and documentation so DFR programs scale responsibly, transparently, and defensibly.

Hosted by Noreen Charlton, Public Safety Strategy at Skydio, the session will conclude with live audience Q&A.