ASHVILLE, Ohio — The Village of Ashville’s Public Safety Committee will meet Wednesday to revisit its review of drone policies and practices, returning to a discussion it opened last month just as a new Ohio law regulating law enforcement drone use takes effect.
The committee is scheduled to convene at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in a meeting open to the public, according to a posted agenda. The session opens with approval of minutes from the committee’s Oct. 1 meeting, followed by agenda presentations limited to five minutes each. The drone policy discussion is listed under old business, with new business and public comment to follow.
The committee first raised the possibility of purchasing drones at its Sept. 1 meeting, when members also discussed new rules for e-bikes and scooters and a proposed neighborhood watch program. Police and fire departments across Ohio have increasingly turned to drones in recent years for tasks such as search-and-rescue operations, crash reconstruction and monitoring large public events.
The committee’s return to the topic comes days after a new state law governing law enforcement drone use took effect. House Bill 251, sponsored by state Rep. Bernie Willis and signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine, took effect Oct. 6 and sets statewide rules for how police agencies may deploy drones, including when a search warrant is required for surveillance flights, and it bars agencies from arming drones with lethal weapons. A separate provision restricting agencies from buying drones made by certain foreign-linked companies does not take effect until 2030.
Ashville, a village of about 4,500 residents in Pickaway County located roughly 17 miles south of Columbus and 8 miles north of Circleville, is governed by an elected mayor and village council, which includes standing committees such as the Public Safety Committee.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Village of Ashville.
