May 6, 2021 Evanston Police Departmentâs aerial fleet is unassuming: a single four-rotor drone, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. While small, the drone makes up the entirety of an Unmanned Aerial System program, jointly operated by Evanstonâs police and fire departments. A year after purchase, the drone has not yet been employed in the field. As the departments work to get the program airborne, however, questions of legality remain around some of the droneâs intended uses. The droneâs primary benefit is its ability to perform tasks such as water rescue and live fire analysis faster and more safely than a team of officers, according to police sergeant Scott Sophier. Sophier coordinates the UAS program, in addition to supervising EPDâs Community Policing Unit, a team of officers tasked with fostering trust between police and the community.