Since 2020, law enforcement agencies have increasingly shifted their focus toward operational efficiency and officer safety. The Middletown Police Department took a significant step in this direction by modernizing their crash scene documentation process with SkyeBrowse's videogrammetry technology in 2023. This innovative drone-based solution transformed their accident investigations while delivering remarkable cost savings and efficiency improvements.
The Challenge: Traditional Crash Scene Documentation Methods
Before implementing SkyeBrowse's videogrammetry solution, Middletown PD relied on traditional laser scanners for crash scene documentation. This outdated approach required five officers to spend an average of 2.5 hours at each scene, resulting in significant overtime costs and prolonged road closures. In 2023, the department documented 65 crashes using this approach, accumulating over 812 hours of officer time and $44,687 in overtime costs alone.
"We were searching for a solution that could dramatically reduce our officers' exposure time at crash scenes while maintaining the quality and accuracy of our documentation," says Sergeant Terribile of Middletown PD. "What we found with SkyeBrowse wasn't just a replacement for our laser scanners – it was a complete transformation of our workflow."
The Solution: SkyeBrowse's Videogrammetry Technology
The implementation of SkyeBrowse's drone-based mapping solution brought immediate and dramatic improvements to Middletown PD's crash scene documentation process. The department could now complete scene documentation with just one officer in an average of 7.5 minutes – a 98% reduction in time spent at the scene.
"The transformation was immediate and dramatic," notes Lieutenant Smith, who oversees the department's traffic division. "What used to take our entire team hours to document can now be completed by a single officer in minutes, with even better accuracy than our old laser scanners."
Measurable Impact and Cost Savings
The financial impact of implementing SkyeBrowse has been substantial. The shift from traditional laser scanners to SkyeBrowse eliminated the need for a $55,000 scanner system and its $5,000 annual maintenance cost. Instead, the department invested in a $10,000 annual SkyeBrowse Premium subscription, which includes unlimited users and advanced features.
Total Impact Overview
- Equipment savings: $50,000
- Overtime reduction: $44,240
- City productivity savings: $4.6M
- Total first-year savings: $4.7M
Beyond the Numbers
The benefits of implementing SkyeBrowse extended far beyond financial savings. Officers report feeling significantly safer with reduced exposure time at crash scenes. The high-resolution 3D models generated by SkyeBrowse have proven invaluable in court proceedings, providing clear, accurate documentation that judges and juries can easily understand.
Looking Ahead
Building on their success, Middletown PD plans to expand their use of SkyeBrowse technology to other aspects of law enforcement, including tactical planning and critical incident response. The department has already begun training additional officers on the system, with plans to integrate drone-based documentation into their standard operating procedures across multiple divisions.
"What started as a solution for crash scene documentation has evolved into a fundamental shift in how we approach scene documentation and planning," concludes Sergeant Terribile. "The efficiency and safety benefits we've seen have convinced us that this is the future of law enforcement operations."
Ready to Transform Your Department's Documentation Process?
Learn how SkyeBrowse can help your agency achieve similar results.
