Despite Previous Denials, Documents Show SJPD Purchased Drone
SAN JOSE (KBCW) -- Despite previous denials, documents show the San Jose Police Department purchased a drone.
The $7,000 drone is the bomb squad's latest crime-fighting tool. The purchase was revealed in documents obtained by VICE Magazine's Motherboard.
The department says the device can be helpful in dangerous situations.
"Basically in a bomb situation if you're looking at some threats and trying to assess the situation, the drone is a perfect vehicle. A perfect device to go ahead and allow us to get to some of the areas that are very, very dangerous," Officer Albert Morales said.
For the cash strapped department, the purchase was less expensive than another bomb robot.
"Anytime we can look into new technology that'll help us do better, do our job more efficiently, more safely then we're going to look into those options," Morales said.
The department has yet to fly the drone, or get FAA authorization to do so.