Apache Junction police purchasing 4 aerial drones for $72K

Joe Penze

City of Apache Junction

The smaller ones are more for inside a house, inside like a trailer. We can get them into a car now to search, see if somebody is hiding under the floor or in like an SUV-like thing or in a van.”

Joe Penze, commander of AJPD’s Criminal Investigation Division

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By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

Purchasing four drones costing more than $72,000 for the Apache Junction Police Department was recently approved by the city council.

The $72,638,81 contract approved Nov. 7 with Gresco Supply Inc. is to purchase one DJI Matrice 30 Thermal drone, two DJI Mavic 3 Thermal drones and one DJI Matrice 350 drone and accessories available through a state cooperative contract.

AJPD has a few drones that are used for search and rescue, looking for lost or missing persons, quick response to in-progress emergency calls for service and for an overview for officers at the scene of an emergency, according to a presentation made by Joe Penze, commander of AJPD’s Criminal Investigation Division, at the council’s Oct. 16 work session.

He told of two times drones were used successfully: to search for a suspect who ran from a stolen vehicle and to find an individual with mental health issues who ran into a desert area and needed medical assistance.

“We’ve had success stories. Back on April 19, 2023, we were able to use a drone. A suspect in a stolen vehicle was seen by police officers; he ran away on foot. We were able to search the area and locate the subject and arrest them. So by using the drone, it’s able to pick up heat signatures and everything and be able to find somebody a lot easier than searching with many officers,” Penze said. “On Sept. 2 of 2021, they responded to a call for service where a female with mental-health issues ran into a part of the desert area and needed medical attention. The drone was put up; within 14 minutes the female was found by the officers at her location and received the medical assistance she needed.”

AJPD has used drones at community events such as the Lost Dutchman Days Parade, Lost Dutchman Marathon and the Apache Junction High School graduation to see the entire area with the ability to zoom in with its camera if there is a problem, he said.

Drones can be used at traffic accidents and for incidents with a fatality to assist in reconstructing what happened. Smaller-sized drones can be used to go inside buildings, Penze said.

“The smaller ones are more for inside a house, inside like a trailer. We can get them into a car now to search, see if somebody is hiding under the floor or in like an SUV-like thing or in a van,” he said.

“They use them for (special weapons and tactics) operations. They’ll fly them in the front door and be able to clear the house. It takes the SWAT officer out,” Penze said. “And it gives them an idea of what they’re walking into; they can get a dimension and a look at what... is going to be on the right, what is going to be on the left immediately.”

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.