You may not know, or remember, that the Grass Valley Police Department has a drone. Lieutenant Joe Matteoni says it’s a D-J-I Matrice 210. They bought it last year, and are currently using it to find potential fires in homeless camps…

Matteoni says if the drone flies on private property, they will get verbal or written permission from the landowner first. He says it uses infrared technology, and can also be used for things like trying to locate a missing juvenile…

Matteoni says the department is planning an open house and a demonstration of the drone’s use, but they haven’t set a date yet. He says the public will be impressed not only with the drone’s capabilities, but how many potentially dangerous fires there are from homeless camps in and around the city.

–gf