JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville City Council passed a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) Drone Replacement Program.
This ordinance was introduced at the request of Sheriff T.K. Waters and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Chirs Miller and Will Lahnen in the Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health, and Safety (NCSPHS) Committee.
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The funding will allow JSO to purchase 20 new drones, each estimated to cost $26,768. Although no city match is required, an additional $35,360 is expected to cover costs beyond the grant award.
News4JAX reported in September 2019 that JSO unveiled a fleet of FAA-licensed drones that could be used for search and rescue missions, disaster recovery and surveillance, as well as monitoring active SWAT situations.
JSO will relinquish its current drone inventory to the state as part of the program.
