ELK GROVE, Calif. — Elk Grove police are hoping to develop drones as first responders after city officials recently approved a $2.1 million drone system purchase.
"11% of our (2022) patrol calls could have been handled by a Drone as a First Responder Program," Elk Grove Police Lieutenant Nate Lange said at a recent city council meeting. "In 10 seconds, our drone can be up in the air; it flies at approximately 50 miles an hour. At the radius of our city, we should be able to be at any call within three minutes."
Not only would having a drone as a first responder speed up response time, but it preserves officer safety as well, Lange said. Calls that would fall under the Drone as a First Responder Program include:
- Assaults
- Traffic incidents
- Missing or suspicious person
- Theft, robbery and burglary
The Drone Response System Program technology is being purchased from the company Aerodome Inc.
City officials will pay off the purchase over four years with the help of Measure E funding.
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