Commerce City Police Use Drone to Locate Missing Elderly Woman with Alzheimer's

Drone's thermal camera spots woman walking alone in the cold along a highway interchange

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A 76-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease wandered away from her home in Commerce City, Colorado, prompting a frantic 911 call from her husband. The Commerce City Police Department's Real Time Crime Center used a drone equipped with a thermal camera to quickly locate the woman walking alone in a cold, dark construction zone along a highway interchange, allowing officers on the ground to reach her and bring her to safety.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing use of drone technology by law enforcement agencies to aid in search and rescue operations, especially for vulnerable individuals like the elderly or those with cognitive impairments who may wander from home. The speed and aerial vantage point of the drone allowed police to locate the woman much faster than they could have on foot or in patrol cars, potentially saving her from serious harm in the cold and dangerous conditions.

The details

When the 911 call came in, the Commerce City Police Department's Real Time Crime Center dispatched a drone equipped with a thermal camera to scan the area where the woman was last seen. Within seconds, the drone operator spotted a heat signature that matched the woman's description, showing her walking alone through a cold, dark construction zone along the Highway 85 and Highway 2 interchange. The drone operator immediately radioed a patrol officer on the ground, who was then able to reach the woman and bring her to safety before she suffered any ill effects from the cold.

  • The 911 call from the woman's husband came in last week.
  • The drone located the woman within minutes of being dispatched.

The players

Commerce City Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that deployed the drone to locate the missing woman.

Sgt. Rick Irwin

The drone operator working in the department's Real Time Crime Center who spotted the woman on the drone's thermal camera feed.

Deputy Chief Mike Smathers

The deputy chief who oversees the department's drone program and believes the technology is the future of policing.

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What they’re saying

“As soon as I saw patrol pulling up to talk to her, it was like that sense of accomplishment.”

— Sgt. Rick Irwin, Drone Operator (CBS News Colorado)

“No matter how much you're trying, time is ticking, and time is your enemy with an endangered missing person. [A drone] doesn't replace the human element. It never will, but it gets us on scene quicker and gives us a viewpoint that you just can't replicate on the ground.”

— Deputy Chief Mike Smathers (CBS News Colorado)

What’s next

The Commerce City Police Department plans to continue expanding its drone program, positioning the aircraft across the city to provide a faster response time for search and rescue operations as well as other law enforcement needs.

The takeaway

This incident demonstrates the life-saving potential of drone technology in the hands of first responders, allowing them to quickly locate and assist vulnerable individuals who may be in danger. As drone capabilities continue to advance, more police departments are likely to adopt similar programs to enhance public safety and emergency response.