Officials eye use of state helicopter at football game
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — State officials are investigating the use of a Department of Justice helicopter at a high school homecoming football game in Northern California.
KCRA-TV reported Thursday that top officials at the DOJ did not know the helicopter — usually flown for drug busts — was being used to hover over the game in El Dorado Hills.
The incident was caught on video and uploaded to YouTube. The station says it showed a DOJ agent dropping a football from the helicopter to his son, a player, on the field.
The cost to taxpayers for use of the chopper was between $900 and $1,300 for the stunt, not including the cost of personnel used to fly the aircraft.
Larry Wallace, director of law enforcement for the DOJ, said he will now personally approve any authorized use of the helicopter.
KCRA-TV reported Thursday that top officials at the DOJ did not know the helicopter — usually flown for drug busts — was being used to hover over the game in El Dorado Hills.
The incident was caught on video and uploaded to YouTube. The station says it showed a DOJ agent dropping a football from the helicopter to his son, a player, on the field.
The cost to taxpayers for use of the chopper was between $900 and $1,300 for the stunt, not including the cost of personnel used to fly the aircraft.
Larry Wallace, director of law enforcement for the DOJ, said he will now personally approve any authorized use of the helicopter.
This is so against the UMCJS this guy will lose everything. He'll be lucky to fly a remote controlled helicopter after his reprimand
One moment of stupidity can ruin years of doing a great job. All around I hope DOJ has a good talk with all involved and mentions it in their records. Someone apparently decided they could use their status as they pleased. Not good judgement at all.
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The crowd and the kid probably loved it though.
I don't get why everybody is crying over some lame $1,500 when we spend over $1,400,000,000 (1.4 billion) every year to protect obama, a guy we all hate. FYI Britain spends about  $58 million a year the royal first family's protection.
I can guarantee you the cost of fuel is a lot more than $1300 alone. Right now both 100LL & JetA fuel hovers around $5.50-$6.50/gallon.
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While I don't know exactly which model this is, it's fuel capacity is over 240 gallons.
Well, total up the costs of the helicopter and its crew and send the bill to the DOJ agent... Â no reason why taxpayers should have to pay for that stunt..
 @margay1 LOL! His bosses probably blow that much money in taxpayer-subsidized lunches on any given month.A helicopter is one of the best recruiting tools for young men in America and nobody minds flying F-15s over the civil war game or over the Superbowl for that purpose, so... ?
Anyone one with half a brain would know that is inappropriate.
End the War on drugs and we would not have even bought this helicopter saving the state more money.
 @Chad Vincent IV The helicopter itself is practically an antique.
 @Playanekes  @Chad Vincent IV Lot's of otherwise 'antiques' are still flying. It's the maintenance on them that is the killer.
Wow, that put many people in danger for no good reason.Â
 @swimbad Seriously that is what you comment? You must be a special needs person.Â
 @Chad Vincent IV  @swimbad That is right, I bet his girlfriend or his wife take care of those needs before bed. Don't worry, it's mutual.Â
 @Chad Vincent IV  @swimbad Obviously you are.The Code of Federal Regulations prohibits low flights over or within 1000' over open public assembly except in emergency or by prior arrangement, so the ones who are probably in the most trouble are the pilots.
 @Playanekes  @Chad Vincent IV  @swimbadÂ
DOJ is obviously above the law.
 @swimbad I'm sure everyone at the game thought it was cool.
I wonder how many in the bleachers thought that helicopter was there for them?
 @WendyTeagarden Everybody who saw Red Dawn.
@WendyTeagarden about 90% of em