BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department just received half a million dollars in federal funding to upgrade its public safety technology, which includes its drone fleet. The county launched its drone first responder program last year, aimed at helping its deputies know what to expect when they arrive at a call.
Sheriff John Allen said it’s been successful, so they’re using the new federal funding to expand. “We have some infrastructure in place right now in the North Valley and South Valley,” Allen said. “We’re making sure the deputy has every tool to clear a danger area, forcing themselves into either a deadly force confrontation to either bring out other intel. Even if we have a death scene, seeing where the body is without messing up evidence.”
The program has a proven track record as a first responder, including the case from last February, where a drone helped deputies survey a situation where two boys had a loaded gun. “Not a force multiplier, just another tool for deputies to clear calls and be safe with it,” Allen said.
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The federal funding will go towards increasing the department’s drones from nine to 25 and adding new software to the drone technology. They use Skydio X10 drones, and the new ones they have coming will have parachutes…