In a recent show of high-tech policing in Fairfield, California, two men suspected of robbery were arrested thanks to the keen senses of a police dog and the bird's-eye view of a drone. The suspects attempted to flee on foot through a residential neighborhood, leading to a dramatic capture that was all caught on tape.
On January 15, a Suisun robbery kicked off a manhunt that rolled over into Fairfield. Fairfield Police Officer J. Lewis was keyed into the chase by cross-traffic communications. Lewis spotted the suspects, Joshua Motokana, 29, and Joseph Motokana, 24, both locals of Fairfield, attempting to nonchalantly walk down the streets of the town they allegedly victimized. When confronted, the two chose to swiftly split up, darting in separate directions in a futile attempt to escape the long arm of the law.
According to the Fairfield Police Department, a quick-thinking police force established a perimeter. It began a meticulous yard-to-yard search with a drone buzzing overhead. One of the suspects must have thought he found a clever hiding spot in the bed of a pickup truck, nestled between two houses, but the drone's unblinking eye thought otherwise.
The footage the department shared shows the decisive moment K9 Kilo, accompanied by officers, closed in on the suspect. Both of the Motokanas were detained without further incident and are now facing charges, all the while safely behind bars at the Solano County Jail. As the department proudly noted, the success of this operation was a collaborative effort, hinging not only on the officers and dispatchers at hand but also on the technology that allows them to safely and swiftly track down those who break the law.
