The Denver Police Department has announced a new program that will see drones deployed to certain 911 calls in place of officers. Similar initiatives have been launched in other counties across Colorado with promising results.

The move, which is expected to cost upwards of $1.5 million, comes just weeks after Denver’s progressive city council moved forward with plans to slash the department’s budget by $8.4 million to help pay for the unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants flooding into the area.

“The Drone as a First Responder Program utilizes [drones] to respond to calls for service before officers arrive on scene in order to develop a better understanding of the situation on the ground,” the department wrote in its Operations Manual, noting that the technology could be used to detect “potential unanticipated hazards to officers and public such as firearms or other weapons,” or “the need for special capabilities or equipment.”

The document explained that, “this increased situational awareness allows the department to better allocate personnel and resources to incident scenes,” and, “allows the department to better anticipate potential challenges such as the presence of weapons or individuals in crisis and tailor the response appropriately to avoid unnecessary escalation.”