Phoenix Police Department’s K-9 unit will soon have another tool at their disposal. The Phoenix City Council approved approximately $30,000 for the department to spend on new telescopic cameras to enable officers to look high up or in confined spaces.

They hope that the cameras will help to reduce the number of instances that officers and K-9s are exposed to risky situations.

“You can see what kind of behavior changes that the dog is giving you and you can start making some, as a handler, you can start making some of those decisions as to whether you recall the dog, leave him in there,” Sgt. Maiocco described. “It provides you the information that you otherwise wouldn’t have.”

A police K-9, named Bane, was killed back in April after the pursuit of robbery suspects. The Phoenix PD also launched a new crime fighting program called “Virtual Block Watch” that encourages home or business owners to register any security cameras that they may have with police in an effort to help deter crime and assist the Department in its overall crime prevention strategy around the city.