Police drones responding to 911 calls in Colorado? “This really is the future of law enforcement.”

Arapahoe County Sheriff's Deputy Jamie Foster flies a drone during a training exercise at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Aurora, Colorado, on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. — The Denver Post/TNS

Picture this: You call 911 and a drone comes whirring to your door instead of a police officer.

That could soon be a reality along parts of Colorado’s Front Range. A handful of local law enforcement agencies are considering using drones as first responders – that is, sending them in response to 911 calls – as police departments across Colorado continue to widely embrace the use of the remote-controlled flying machines.