2023 WCSO Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 17
Remotely Operated Vehicle Team (ROVT)
ROVT AT WORK IN 2023
1 A Washington County ROVT member used a drone to locate four
suspects attempting to steal a car from Sunset Transit Center. ROVT
used the drone to track the fleeing suspects and direct responding
Beaverton Police Department officers two the location, where the four
eventually hid in thick, overgrown brush. All four suspects were taken
into custody.
2 After receiving reports from a concerned community member and
confirming a sighting by a deputy serving the City of Cornelius,
Washington County ROVT was called upon to assist in locating a
wounded cougar. Given the significant threat a cougar poses to human
safety, finding and addressing the injured animal was crucial. Utilizing
the thermal capabilities of the drone, our skilled deputy successfully
located the injured cougar in the backyard of a residential home that
happened to share a property line with a school. Swift action was taken,
and the cougar was safely removed from the area, eliminating the
potential safety concerns for the public.
1
Thanks to the advanced
thermal capabilities
of the drone, it
successfully pinpointed
the exact location
of the cougar and
detected the evidence
of its recent presence
(where it had been
resting in the grass).
2
2023 WCSO Annual Report | 15
