DOJ helicopter used at El Dorado County football game
By Mike Luery, KCRA-TV
California taxpayers shelled out hundreds of dollars for the apparent unauthorized use of a police helicopter at a high school football game.
The helicopter incident involved a high school homecoming event that top law enforcement supervisors at the Department of Justice knew nothing about, KCRA 3 has learned.
The incident took place last November, when a DOJ helicopter hovered over El Dorado Hills for a homecoming game at Oak Ridge High School.
In a video later uploaded to YouTube, viewers can see an agent perched precariously on the side of the chopper.
As the door opens, the DOJ agent then dropped the ball to a football player waiting on the field.
Why were DOJ agents flying over a football field?
KCRA 3 has learned the agent was dropping the football to his son, a player on the Oak Ridge team.
The agent, the pilot and the Department of Justice helicopter are all state resources, yet DOJ supervisors had no idea the football drop was taking place, KCRA 3 has learned.
“I don’t think anybody looking at that will see a legitimate public purpose in the use of that helicopter,” said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. “I think there needs to be a thorough investigation into who authorized this, how much it cost, what was the reason behind this and basically, what were they thinking.”
KCRA 3 showed the video of the helicopter incident to Larry Wallace, director of law enforcement for the Department of Justice.
“I can confirm that is a DOJ chopper, yes,” Wallace told KCRA 3.
Wallace said the launching of the helicopter cost taxpayers between $900 and $1,300 — not including personnel costs.
The helicopter is normally used for drug busts, Wallace told KCRA 3.
“It certainly doesn’t strike us that they were using that chopper to pull up marijuana plants out of the middle of the football field,” Coupal said.
KCRA 3 asked Wallace for his reaction, upon seeing the video.
“It appeared to be a misuse of state property,” Wallace told KCRA 3.
Wallace would not provide details of whether anyone from the DOJ approved the ball drop, or who was involved.
However, he did say the DOJ had put new protocols into place because of the incident.
“I’m going to personally approve any authorized use of that helicopter as we move forward, and that’s been put into place,” Wallace said.
The Department of Justice won’t reveal any details about disciplinary action, but KCRA 3 has learned independently that the special agent involved was put on leave for a substantial period of time.
Between $900 and $1,300? Who are they kidding??
I think cal star cost are 5 to 10 X that much for tahoe to reno.
where is the youtube video? please embed.
For now see this one: http://youtu.be/amFI4Y9ZPe8
Are we serious??? that is so cool. If you don’t agree I guess we should cancel all the high school homecoming parades that the cops have to traffic control for and K9 demos and soldiers parade when war heros get home. Oh and what about Military air shows.Lets just call it a training mission and play ball!!!
@Get Real: The point I was making wasn’t whether public assets should or shouldn’t be used for fun events. Sure there’s a time and a place for that, if it’s been approved.
I was referring to how they’re trying to mitigate the damage by claiming it didn’t cost much. . .
Don’t pee on me and tell me it’s raining.
Dog, only if you don’t crap on us and tell us it’s facts!
I’d say the football game stunt has much more value to the average California taxpayer than the multi-million dollar losses to our #1 cash crop and the stupid waste of law enforcement personnel and money on pot busts.
Way cool, I love it
Sounds like a dad went overboard trying to make a child’s life memorable. Shame, shame,shame. I bet everyone at that game will have a wonderful memory of what happened. OMG at a cost of about $1000! I’ll bet the cost of investigation of this event is going to be at least fifty times as much. Make the dad pay the cost for the use of the aircraft and all associated costs, put a reprimand in his file and move on. Ever make a bad decision when it comes to doing something special for a loved one? By the way Dogula, what do you prefer to be told when being peed on?:-D
To some of above: Maybe some friend in DOJ could drop something on your house any time he wanted. Would that be OK. It’s my tax dollars that paid for this stunt, get it.
Mr Pierini,
I agree. Absolute waste of taxpayer dollars. I am saying to make the dad pay restitution, reprimand him and counsel him. Let us not waste MORE taxpayer dollars for some lengthy drawn out investigation. A bad choice was made trying to do a good thing. Try hard to remember back when you were in high school. How cool would that have been to you? Glad to see a dad taking interest in his son’s life. Too many parents do nothing for their kids. That’s the real crime.