Commissioners table DCP drone purchase for 60 days amid state‑approval questions

The Dougherty County Board of Commissioners voted on Feb. 17 to table a recommended purchase of a SCADIO X‑10 drone and associated training and cloud services for the Dougherty County Police (DCP) for 60 days.

Staff presented a quote for $20,001.64 that included the drone, pilot training for two staff, one year of cloud software and a one‑year warranty. Commissioners and the chief asked about the frequency of use, downstream software and licensing costs, interoperability with Albany Police Department (APD) and the sheriff’s office, and the risk that forthcoming state lists of approved manufacturers could make some models unusable for government agencies.

Chief Irvin and other law‑enforcement speakers said local ownership would improve response time and training capacity; other commissioners urged caution, arguing a state manufacturing/approval list could render a purchase unusable and that shared access with APD or the sheriff’s office might be sufficient for most needs. The board agreed to table the item for 60 days so staff could check with GEMA/state officials and confirm whether the quoted model would appear on any approved lists, and to gather additional cost/justification information.

The vote to table included an explicit 60‑day time tie to pending state action; a second was recorded and the motion carried by majority voice vote.