Sgt. Matt Rogers, a second-generation state-trooper and a member of the Michigan State Police (MSP) Aviation Unit, is the recipient of this year’s HAI Salute to Excellence Law Enforcement Award. Rogers was honored with the award for his role in developing the department’s Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) and its Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) programs.

In 2014, Rogers, a private pilot and 19-year member of the department, was selected as the first TFO in the unit, which had previously operated its fleet of helicopters and airplanes with two pilots. After attending the Los Angeles Police Department’s TFO program, he returned to build the MSP program from the ground up, establishing an extensive curriculum to train all-new TFO entrants in tactical skills and information necessary to safely and successfully support ground units engaged in a variety of law enforcement missions. The MSP program also assisted the pilot with flight duties such as collision avoidance, radio management, and other conditions that could affect flight safety.

Rogers then established a team to focus on and integrate the use of UAS equipment such as the Aeryon SkyRanger drone into its operations, making MSP the first police department in the country to receive statewide authorization for UAS operations in uncontrolled airspace. Further developments included approvals for day and night usage in controlled airspace, with emergency exceptions into Class B airspace. Under his watch, the program evolved from simple crime and crash scene documentation to overwatch and building searches.

“If someone calls for an aerial search," Rogers said, "by having helicopters, airplanes, and UAS in our unit, we can present the best tool for that specific mission.”

Rogers is a founding member of the National Council on Public Safety UAS and was appointed by the state governor to Michigan’s UAS Task Force.