Burnet Police using new drones, drug detectors to fight crime

BURNET, Texas (KXAN) – New range equipment, drones and devices that can detect illicit drugs are helping the Burnet Police Department in a big way.

Burnet Police Chief Brian Lee said, from improving officer safety to helping with investigations, this technology can help in a big way.

The TruNarc device uses a laser to break down the substance presented.

"The laser goes in there and detects two different molecules, it will break them down and it will let us know, if there is fentanyl in this and then if there is methamphetamine," said Sgt. Michael Daugherty with the Burnet Police Department.

Lee said, in a time when fentanyl is on the rise, the True Narc comes in handy and keeps officers safe.

"In an agency our size, you don't see typically having the TruNarc, having the drone systems," Lee said.

The device tests for a wide range of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and synthetic opioids. The department also received funding for new drones.

There are four in all, the two larger drones are weather resistant and used for a number of tasks, like search and rescue or pursuits, but they can also be used for other duties, as well.

"We can put out broadcasts as well as a spotlight for nighttime," Officer Joshua Day, who is one of the drone pilots, said.

"The zoom capabilities with this is about 200 times magnification," Day said as he zoomed into the high school which was a few miles away.

Another new tool can be found on the gun range, with targets linked to software that twist and turn them in a number of ways.

"If my officers are out there scanning targets every time before they act that is going to help them in a real life situation," Lee said.