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February 2, 2013

Officials eye use of helicopter at game

The Associated Press Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — 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.

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