I need to talk to y’all about Montgomery County.  It’s just northeast of here and it has more bowling alleys and trailer parks per square mile than is allowed by most states.  It’s where men are men and sheep are scared.

Well, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department decided that they needed a fancy 4X4 heavily armored very expensive vehicle/tank.   Nobody seemed to know why they needed it except that they have five ole boys on commissioner’s court all named Bubba.

About two years ago, they decided that they also needed a $300,000 drone that could be fitted with a single or multiple-shot 40mm grenade launcher, 25mm grenade launcher or 12 gauge shotgun.  Again, the Bubba thing.

The very first day they went out and tested their $300,000 drone was one of those “Hey Festus, hold my beer and watch this” moments.  Amid much fanfare and teevee cameras, the drone – in mid test – amazingly and gloriously crashed.  But, not just your normal crash.  No, sireee.  That sucker up and crashed right into the armored 4X4.   I mean, that drone had all of Montgomery County to crash into and it picked their other favorite expensive toy.

Which brings us to yesterday.

Divers scoured the bottom of Lake Conroe in the hope of recovering a controversial $250,000 police drone that crashed into the water Friday.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the remote-controlled helicopter drone, which was bought in 2011 with a federal grant, suffered a malfunction and went down during an exercise over the lake.

The drone weighs 50 pounds.  If it crashed on you, it would hurt like the dickens.  Then there’s the problematic situation of all the firepower accidentally going off.

Now the way I figure it, this drone has given them two warnings and you would think that would be enough, but noooo… they are sending drivers into the lake to find it.  I hope that sucker has already dug its way to China.

Well, at least this drone was $50,000 cheaper, or so they say.  Yeah, that’s all we need – a discount drone.

Thanks to Daniel for the heads up.