If you’ve been in Gilbert the last month and have seen drones flying around, then you may have seen the city Police Department’s second round of pilot testing.
The police say their goal is to not only have eyes in the sky, but to also make the drones the first responders.
“Almost 25% of those calls that we get dispatched to, we can have a drone there before patrol in almost less than 6 minutes," said Gilbert Officer Travis Sheppard.
The department began drone pilot testing in August.
More Gilbert news
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A federal plan for the Colorado River means big water cuts for Arizona. The Phoenix and Tucson areas will be hit hard. City leaders say they can keep taps flowing, but solutions will be expensive. -
Tempe, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Tucson have joined 85 other plaintiffs in the Fire Apparatus Antitrust Litigation. -
Cities around the Phoenix area are reducing their take on the Colorado River and leaving water in Lake Mead. Millions of dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act are helping ease the pain. -
Waymo is expanding its services in metro Phoenix. The autonomous ride hailing company is adding 55 square miles to its service area. -
Lately, the Gila River Indian Community — south of Phoenix — has been grappling with teen gang violence. And that’s something Michael Angstead has dealt with during his six-year stint as Gilbert’s assistant chief of police, where he oversaw the department’s investigations bureau.
