Receive an Update on Approach to Preventing
and Enforcing Sideshow Events at Alameda
Point and Provide Direction to Return to
Council with a Public Hearing to Consider
Authorizing Future Purchase and Use of
Drones for Sideshows and Other Critical
Incidents
City Council Meeting
May 7, 2024
1 Background
B12 - Saildrone
• Alameda Point attracts unsanctioned
sideshows and car events, due to large open
spaces
• Several events have occurred over last six
months drawing large crowds and presenting
public safety challenges in two primary
locations at Alameda Point:
1. Southern area near West Hornet Avenue
and Ferry Point
2. Western area along West Tower Avenue,
Monarch Street and West Midway Avenue
2 Public Safety Challenges and Impacts
• Reckless driving and unsafe
driving on public streets
• Excessive noise and trash
• Property damage
• Negative impacts on adjacent
businesses
• Traffic congestion
• Air quality and biological
concerns
• Safety risk to first responders
• Service and fiscal impacts to City
resources
3 City Approach to Sideshows:
Prevention in Western Area
• Unpermitted car shows
occurring on portions of West
Tower Avenue, Monarch
Street and West Midway
Avenue
• Installing temporary asphalt
curbs to narrow and define
travel lanes, and reduce the
size of street intersections
• Generally consistent with
Master Infrastructure Plan
and ultimate roadway
construction
4 City Approach to Sideshows:
Prevention in Southern Area
• Sideshows occur in off-street
lot and streets near Ferry
Point and West Hornet
Avenue
• Installed lockable gates,
bollards with chains, and
new fencing
5 City Approach to Sideshows:
APD Prevention Efforts
• Pre-event intelligence efforts by APD include:
• Active social media searches and other confidential efforts • Outreach to promoters prior to the event to discourage sideshows • Coordination with on-site private security
• Targeted patrols
6 City Approach to Sideshows:
APD Intervention and Enforcement
• Assignment of sideshow detail on overtime and in some cases, redirection of patrol resources
• Request for mutual aid/assistance, if resources available • Citation of reckless driving and other related crimes, as well as vehicle seizures
• Due to high risks associated with crowd management, APD maintains peripheral enforcement activities to avoid escalation and address serious crimes
• Post-event pursuit of costs from promoters, if contact information can be obtained
• Exploration of use of technology, such as drones, for stepped up post-event enforcement, resulting in strong deterrence
7 Request for Direction on Drones:
Overview and Benefits
• Drones allow APD to collect evidence about
sideshows and other critical incidents for
strategic intervention and enforcement
without jeopardizing safety of officers and
escalating dangerous situations
• Request would be for two drones, along
with adoption of an operations policy with
strong privacy protections
• Easy and fast to deploy; less expensive and
more efficient than other aerial
technology; two-way voice and visual
communication 8
Request for Direction on Drones:
Draft Drone Operations Policy
• Allowed Use of Drones, such as:
• Life preservation missions
• All felony crimes
• Unpermitted car shows
• Riots
• Mass Casualty events
• Missing persons
• Rescue events
• Disaster response and recovery
• Post-incident documentation
• Consultation with community, Secure
Justice, ACLU best practices, and
business community
• Prohibited Use
• No weaponization
• No facial recognition
• No random surveillance
• No targeting of a person based on actual or
perceived characteristics
• No harassment or intimidation
• No personal business
• Authorized Personnel – only authorized
operators with training
• Federal Regulations – in accordance with
FAA/USFWS
• Approval and Oversight – Supervisor must
approve deployment
9 Request for Direction on Drones:
Proposed Next Steps
• Drones fall under AB481 and Government Code Section 7070 definitions of military equipment
• Consistent with AB481, draft Drone Policy posted on April 15th for 30-day comment period and community meeting held on April 30th • If directed by Council this evening, staff will return on May 21st with the First Reading of an Ordinance Amendment approving the use of drones, a draft Drone Policy, and the required Annual Report for use of all military equipment consistent with AB481
10 Recommendation
1. Receive an update on approach to preventing and
enforcing sideshow events at Alameda Point; and
2. Provide direction to return to Council with a Public Hearing to consider authorizing future purchase and
use of drones for sideshows and other critical
incidents.
11