County-wide responsibility
Ports, utilities, schools, and large events across the county, often with the sheriff as the agency other departments call for mutual aid. A county program sets the standard others lean on.
Counter-drone readiness under SAFER SKIES
The authority arrived July 1. The capacity did not.
The SAFER SKIES Act and the new 28 CFR Part 124 rule let certified state, local, and correctional officers detect drones and, with further certification, mitigate them. On the day the rule took effect, 61 officers held that certification nationwide.
Who this is for
One rule, three different missions.
Events and venues
Stadiums, parades, and festivals draw drones and crowds together. Planning for an event starts weeks out, and so does the paperwork the rule requires.
Contraband over the fence
Drone drops of contraband into jails and prisons are a known pattern. Detection at the perimeter, with a clear chain to a certified responder, is where most facilities start.
Loading briefing
Video briefing
What the SAFER SKIES rule asks of your agency.
The certification tiers, the policy and reporting requirements, the bottleneck in mitigation training, and a practical path for the first 90 days.
Get ready
From authority to first operation, in seven steps.
The rule gives your agency the authority. It does not give you a program. Each step is a federal requirement. The three in rust run on fixed clocks, and missing one can mean an audit finding or a suspended authority.
- Start
Name the people
A senior Agency Approving Official, a program lead, and counsel who will certify plans.
- Before any use
Train and certify
Detection certification is online. Mitigation certification is only at the FBI's training center, and seats are scarce.
- Before any use
Write the policy
An implementation policy, reviewed by counsel and attested through the federal portal.
- 7 days out
File the Operations Plan
Signed by the approving official, certified by counsel. Covers up to 30 days, or a year at a fixed site.
- 30 days out
Give advance notice
Required before mitigation, so the FAA and spectrum managers can coordinate. Emergencies allow notice within 2 hours after.
- Day of
Operate and report
Notify air traffic control within 5 minutes of mitigation. File the post-operation report within 48 hours.
- After
Keep the record
Delete control-signal data by day 180 unless an exception applies. Keep the audit trail 6 years. File semiannual summaries.
Deadlines from 28 CFR Part 124, effective July 1, 2026.
Waiting versus preparing
The mitigation queue is long. Readiness does not have to wait for it.
Waiting for a seat
- No policy in place when an incident hits
- Grant-funded equipment idle without certified operators
- Exposure to fines or suspension of authority
Preparing now
- Detection team certified in weeks
- Policy and plans ready for counsel and command
- Mutual aid arranged until mitigation seats open
A practical first 90 days
From authority on paper to a working program.
Assess
Protected sites, recurring events, current equipment, and staffing.
Certify
Detection team through the online course, with a training record.
Decide
Build mitigation capacity, or rely on a certified partner, and document why.
Document
Policy and procedures drafted for counsel and command review.
Deliverables
What the agency receives.
Readiness assessment
Where the agency stands on people, policy, plans, reporting, and partners.
Exposure mapping
Launch points and responding authority around the sites you protect.
Program development
Implementation policy, training plan, and procedures, drafted for counsel's review.
Ongoing compliance
Reporting support, data-minimization reviews, and audit preparation.
Built for Florida agencies. Programs account for Florida's drone statutes and Chapter 119 public-records law, so sensitive operational detail is handled with the applicable exemptions in mind. The work supports agency counsel and federal partners. It never replaces them.
Ways to engage
Scoped to the agency and the calendar.
Fixed fee
Readiness assessment
A written baseline and a 90-day plan for command staff.
Fixed fee
Program development
Policy, training plan, and procedures for counsel's review.
Retainer or hourly
Ongoing compliance
Reporting, minimization reviews, and audit support.
Every engagement starts with a written scope and a fixed fee or rate before any work begins. Site operators and insurers: see drone incursion exposure.
Request a written scope
Where does your agency stand today?
Share the jurisdiction, the sites or events that concern you, and any deadline you are working against. The reply will include a few questions and a proposed scope.
Prefer direct contact? robert@rjgreenresearch.org or (321) 252-9283