Brunswick Hills Police Department to receive an unmanned aerial system

BRUNSWICK HILLS TWP. — Brunswick Hills Trustees approved a purchase order for about $6,400 for the Brunswick Hills Police Department to have an unmanned aerial system during their meeting on Tuesday. Brunswick Hills Police Chief Tim Sopkovich said an unmanned aerial system is a highly sophisticated drone that has technology such as thermal imaging. "The drones will have real time video feeds that will go back to the pilot, and then that pilot will be able to also share with other officers with their mobile data terminals," he said. The drone could be deployed in many different circumstances such as pursuing a suspect, finding a lost person, gathering information and more, he said. The department currently has two certified pilots who could use the equipment: Sgt. Jim Sanford and Patrolman Zachary Getto. "I just felt that for the price, the technologies offered and having these individuals that are able to deploy (the drone will) be very beneficial to Brunswick Hills," Sopkovich said. Trustee John Witthuhn said the Medina County Sheriff's Office already has a drone team. He then asked why the township should purchase an unmanned aerial system since Brunswick Hills already has access to the county's resources. Sopkovich said although mutual aid from other departments is available, it is important to be able to deploy the drone immediately in an emergency. "Time (is) of the essence for life-saving capabilities, (and) also for officer safety or apprehension," he said. "We need this to be readily available within the township for our community's needs." Brunswick Hills Trustees later approved upgrading the computer system in a police cruiser at a cost of around $2,950. Sopkovich said as a result of the approval, every vehicle in the department's fleet will have updated technology. "They're used the whole officer's shift," he said. "Each car is probably going out 16 hours a day, so it's a lot of use on the computers. It's mainly to communicate back and forth to our dispatch center on emergency calls or traffic stops or so on." Also during the meeting, Officer Jeremy Milford was promoted to sergeant. Sopkovich said Milford has been with the Brunswick Hills Police Department since 2017, and he served in the U.S. Navy from 2007 to 2016. "He's a great officer," he said. "(I'm) looking forward to working with him in his new role as a sergeant. I think a lot of guys here respect him (and) look up to him." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.