AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: June 3, 2025
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Laurence S. Wiener, City Attorney
Subject: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS PROHIBITING
INTERFERENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT DRONES AND PENALTIES
FOR VIOLATIONS AND ADDING CHAPTER 13 TO TITLE 5 OF THEBEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE Attachments: 1. Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council move to waive the full reading and adopt the ordinance entitled: “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS PROHIBITING
INTERFERENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT DRONES AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS AND ADDING CHAPTER 13 TO TITLE 5 OF THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE”
INTRODUCTION
At its meeting of May 20, 2025, the City Council conducted a first reading of this ordinance and introduced it. At that meeting, the City Council made changes to the ordinance, which included adding that “No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a drone, or any other device so that the unmanned aerial vehicle flies within two hundred (200) feet of a Law Enforcement Drone.” This change has now been incorporated into the ordinance being presented to the City Council for adoption.
DISCUSSION
This ordinance amends the Beverly Hills Municipal Code to establish regulations and penalties regarding interference with the operation of law enforcement dronesFISCAL IMPACT No significant fiscal impact.
Laurence S. Wiener
City Attorney
Approved By
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Attachment
1 ORDINANCE NO. 25-0- ____ AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
PROHIBITING INTERFERENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENTDRONES AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS AND ADDING CHAPTER 13 TO TITLE 5 OF THE BEVERLY HILLS MUNICIPAL
CODE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 13 is hereby added to Title 5 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code regarding law enforcement drones to read as follows:
“CHAPTER 13. PROHIBITING INTERFERENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT DRONES
5-13-1: DEFINITIONS:
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise clearly indicates, the words andphrases are defined as follows:
A. ‘Law Enforcement Drone” refers to any unmanned aerial vehicle, including a drone, that is operated by or under the authority of the City of Beverly Hills Police Department or any other law enforcement agency or the Beverly Hills Fire Department.
B. “Interference” means any action, including but not limited to physical obstruction or intentional jamming, or any other attempt to disrupt, damage, or hinder the operation of a Law Enforcement Drone.
C. “Operator” refers to the individual or entity controlling or directing the operation of a Law Enforcement Drone.
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5-13-2: PROHIBITED ACTIONS:
A. No person shall Interfere with the operation of a Law Enforcement Drone, including but not limited to:
1. Physically obstructing or damaging a Law Enforcement Drone.
2. Using any device or equipment, including drones, lasers, or other tools, to disrupt, block, or jam signals used by Law Enforcement Drones.
3. Any other act intended to Interfere with the lawful operation of a Law Enforcement Drone.
B. No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a drone, or any otherdevice in such a way that it poses a risk of collision, damage, or Interference with the operation of a Law Enforcement Drone.C. No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a drone, or any other device so that the unmanned aerial vehicle flies within two hundred (200) feet of a Law Enforcement Drone.
5-13-3: PENALTIES:
In addition to other penalties set forth in this Municipal Code or State law, if the Interference with a Law Enforcement Drone results in damage or destruction of the drone, the responsible person shall be liable for the full cost of the repair or replacement of the Law Enforcement Drone.”
Section 2. Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or place, is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the final decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Ordinance shall be and remain in full force and effect. -2-
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Section 3. Publication. The City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation published and circulated in the City within fifteen (15) days after its passage in accordance with Section 36933 of the Government Code, shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance, and shall cause this Ordinance and her certification, together with proof of publication, to be entered in the Book of Ordinances of the Council of this City.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall go into effect and be in full force and effect at 12:01 a.m. on the thirty-first (3 1st) day after its passage.
Adopted:
Effective:
SHARONA R. NAZARIAN, PSYD
Mayor of the City of Beverly Hills,California
ATTEST:
____________________(SEAL)
HUMA AHMED
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
LAURENCE S. WIENER NANCY HUNT-COFFEYCity Attorney City Manager -3-
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