ELK GROVE, Calif. — The Elk Grove Police Department is expanding its drone program with the goal at provide faster response times throughout the city.
The city council approved a $2.1 million contract with Aerodome, a company providing air support for the purpose of public safety.
Sergeant Jason Jimenez says the department has been traveling across the United States for the last year looking into different programs with other law enforcement departments.
As to what it could help them with?
“Suspicious person calls, at risk missing people calls, robbery in progress calls, even fire calls,” said Jimenez.
The department was able to use drones to lower the use of illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July.
The way it works is a drone is first to arrive to a scene, it identifies the illegal fireworks and gets a better look at where in the neighborhood they are coming from. Then officers arrive on scene.
Drones also helped crack down on sideshows in Elk Grove.
"We can see what exactly we are dealing with, how many people are out there, what amount of resources we need, we were able to pinpoint the troublemakers and how many officers we need,” said Gonzalez.
With the new contract, the program will change some from what police already use drones for.
Drones will be in three different parts of city and can respond anywhere in just three minutes. The pilots will be based at Elk Grove Police Department headquarters.
“We will be able to assist our fire partners get that video down into their engines, onto their iPad, and get them that video and they are able to assess if they need additional video or maybe cancel that call all together,” said Jimenez.
The Elk Grove Police Department wants to be very clear about what the drones won’t be used for: surveillance.
“(The drones) have always been and always will be (used) in response to calls,” said Jimenez.
The community won’t see drones flying without it being assigned to a call.
Police plan to launch the new part of the program in the next six to 12 months.
WATCH MORE: Man allegedly shoots at CHP officer, gets into South Sacramento armed standoff with law enforcement
