ST. CLOUD -- Drones may soon be the latest piece of equipment the Stearns County Sheriff's Office will have at their disposal.

The Sheriff's Office and the St. Cloud Police department are applying for the $32,000 Justice Assistance Grant for new equipment including a drone.

Stearns County Chief Deputy Bruce Bechtold says they felt a drone would be a valuable asset to the department.

"After seeing what the prices have come down too and speaking with other departments we thought it would be a good investment for a county of our size to have one," says Bechtold.

Bechtold says the drone would mainly be used to search for people and items in open areas. They also plan to use the grant for new equipment to outfit new drug detecting police dogs.

The St. Cloud Police department plans to buy an all-terrain vehicle to be used at large gatherings and searches. They also plan on using a portion of the funds for crime prevention materials.

The grant would be shared between the two agencies.

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