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Modernization

Drone Program

DRPS continues to build and strengthen our drone program as part of our commitment to modern, responsive policing and enhanced frontline operations.

In 2025, regularly deployed drones operated from frontline vehicles played a significant role in supporting day-to-day policing operations. These drones provide officers with an immediate aerial perspective at incident scenes, improving situational awareness, supporting search efforts, and enhancing both officer and public safety.

Over the course of the year, these deployments resulted in 3,043 total flights, representing 550 hours in the air. Of these, 361 flights (86 hours) were operational responses initiated through 911 calls, reflecting the growing reliance on aerial support for time-sensitive incidents. These efforts contributed to 11 successful locate outcomes, including missing persons, individuals in crisis, suspicious persons, and wanted persons.

At the beginning of 2025, the program was supported by just three operational pilots—two frontline officers and one Tactical Unit member—which limited overall deployment capacity. In November 2025, Durham Regional Police launched its first in-house pilot certification course, adding 20 new frontline pilots and increasing operational capacity by more than 600 per cent. This expansion is the primary reason for lower deployment numbers earlier in the year, with flight activity already surpassing 2025 totals in 2026.

The Service now operates its own in-house drone flight school, which has significantly strengthened frontline capabilities. Through this program, members complete a one-week ground school and obtain their Transport Canada Advanced Pilot certification. Pilots must then successfully complete four operational training scenarios and a final flight review before being designated as operational.

To maintain operational status, pilots are required to complete a minimum of four flight hours within a 60-day period through either training or active deployments. This requirement ensures proficiency and readiness, and is a key factor contributing to the overall volume of drone flights.

In 2025, the Service further advanced this work through the development of a Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program, which was officially launched in February 2026. The DFR system complements drones already deployed from frontline vehicles by providing an added layer of support through strategically positioned drone docking sites across the Region. These sites enable rapid deployment and continuous coverage, enhancing the Service’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to dynamic situations. DRPS is among the first police services in Canada to implement a DFR pilot of this kind.

Together, these advancements strengthen situational awareness, improve response capabilities, and support safer outcomes for both officers and the community.

Social Media Presence

As part of its commitment to modern, transparent policing, DRPS continues to leverage social media as a critical tool to communicate, inform, and engage with the community in real time.

The Service’s social media platforms play an increasingly important operational role, supporting investigations and public safety efforts. Timely posts related to missing persons, wanted individuals, and ongoing incidents enable officers to quickly reach a broad audience, often generating valuable tips and information. In many cases, this direct connection with the community has contributed to locating missing persons, identifying suspects, and advancing investigations.

DRPS continues to see strong growth and engagement across its digital platforms. The corporate Facebook account now has 91,849 followers, representing a 22 per cent increase from 2024 and a 40 per cent increase from 2023. The corporate X (formerly Twitter) account has 105,460 followers, while all five Divisions and Traffic Services remain active on X, sharing localized updates with their communities. Instagram presence has expanded significantly, with a corporate following of 26,198—an increase of 62 per cent over 2024—and all Divisions, along with Communications/911, now maintaining active accounts with nearly 15,000 additional followers combined.

In 2025, DRPS social media content across Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn reached 74.9 million impressions, a 62 per cent increase from the previous year. This growth was matched by a strong engagement rate of 10.35 per cent, demonstrating meaningful and sustained interaction with the public. Video content continues to be a key driver of engagement, with DRPS videos viewed 1.4 million times—nearly double the 734,000 views recorded in 2024—supported in part by an increase in operational and video news release content.

Complementing its social media platforms, DRPS continues to prioritize digital engagement through its website, www.drps.ca, which serves as a central hub for public safety information, investigative updates, and crime prevention resources. All Divisions are equipped with QR code handout cards that officers can distribute during Notification of Community Crime initiatives, providing residents with direct access to timely, location-specific information that can be updated in real time.

Originally redesigned in 2021, the DRPS website was further enhanced in 2025 through a migration to the GovStack platform, improving functionality, usability, and overall user experience. These enhancements were recognized through a WebAward for Community Engagement and three IAC Award distinctions for Best General Interest Website, Best Online Community Website, and Best Other Website.

With an average of 75,000 monthly visitors, the DRPS website remains a consistent and trusted resource for the community.

Together, these digital tools strengthen communication, enhance investigative capabilities, and reinforce the important role the public plays in supporting community safety.

Bail Compliance Dashboard

As part of its commitment to leveraging data and technology to enhance public safety, DRPS continues to advance the Bail Compliance Dashboard (BCD), a tool designed to strengthen bail enforcement and improve frontline situational awareness.

Launched in July 2022, the BCD uses modern mapping and data visualization to provide officers with real-time access to bail-related information. This supports more proactive compliance checks, enhances investigative capabilities, and helps identify individuals who may present increased risk within the community.

Since its introduction, the BCD has contributed to a significant and sustained increase in compliance checks across the Service. In 2021, prior to the launch, DRPS conducted 1,168 checks.

This increased to 1,734 in 2022, the year the dashboard was introduced, and continued to climb to 3,423 in 2023, the first full year of implementation. Activity more than doubled again in subsequent years, reaching 5,741 checks in 2024 and 7,876 in 2025.

The ongoing success of the program was recognized in 2025 when the Bail Compliance Dashboard Unit (BCDU) received a Police Appreciation Dinner Awards Night (PADAN) award for its work in advancing bail enforcement practices.

Building on this momentum, the BCDU expanded in early 2026 with the addition of a dedicated Detective, with further growth anticipated through the addition of a third Detective Constable. These enhancements will support the continued evolution of the dashboard and reinforce its role as a key tool in modern, intelligence-led policing.

CAMSafe

As part of its commitment to modern, community-informed policing, DRPS launched CAMSafe in November 2025—an initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between police and the public through the use of existing technology across the Region.

CAMSafe is a free, voluntary registry that allows residents and business owners to register the location of privately owned security cameras, including doorbell cameras, CCTV systems, and other surveillance devices. The program does not provide police with direct access to any camera systems. Instead, it enables officers to identify where cameras may be located and contact owners directly when footage may assist an investigation.

Since its launch, the program has seen strong early uptake, with more than 800 residents and business owners registering their cameras. By creating a centralized database of camera locations, CAMSafe enhances investigative efficiency and supports more timely access to potential video evidence. Officers can quickly identify nearby cameras during an incident, reducing the need for time-intensive neighbourhood canvassing and allowing resources to be focused on other aspects of the investigation.

Originally developed by the Belleville Police Service, CAMSafe has been adopted by police services across Ontario. Its introduction in Durham Region reflects DRPS’ continued investment in practical, technology-enabled solutions that support public safety while maintaining community trust and privacy.

Together, this approach strengthens investigative capabilities, improves response efficiency, and reinforces the important role the community plays in helping to prevent and solve crime.

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