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July 14, 2026

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Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC)
May 7, 2026

MEMORANDUM

TO: PAC FROM: Omar Daza-Quiroz, Acting Deputy Chief
OPD, Bureau of Investigations

SUBJECT: Unmanned Aerial System (UAS
or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report
DATE: April 2026

Background

Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) 9.64.040: Surveillance Technology “Oversight following City Council approval” requires that for each approved surveillance technology item, city staff must present a written annual surveillance report for Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC). After review by the PAC, city staff shall submit the annual surveillance report to the City Council. The PAC shall recommend to the City Council that:
• The benefits to the community of the surveillance technology outweigh the costs and that civil liberties and civil rights are safeguarded.
• That use of the surveillance technology cease; or
• Propose modifications to the corresponding surveillance use policy that will resolve the concerns.

The PAC voted unanimously to recommend City Council adoption of OPD’s Departmental General Order (DGO) I-25: Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Use Policy on May 14, 2020. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 88454 C.M.S. which approved OPD’s DGO I-25. OMC 9.64.040 requires that, after City Council approval, OPD provide an annual report to the Chief of Police, the Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC), and the City Council.

A/DC Omar Daza-Quiroz is currently the UAS Program Coordinator and has been since 2022.

2025 Data Points

A. A description of how the surveillance technology was used, including the type and quantity of data gathered or analyzed by the technology:

From the “Surveillance Impact Use Report for the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)”

An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) is an unmanned aircraft of any type that is capable of sustaining directed flight, whether preprogrammed or remotely controlled (commonly referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone, and all of the supporting or attached components designed for gathering information through imaging, recording, or any other means.

UAV are controlled from a remote-control unit (similar to a tablet computer).

Wireless connectivity lets pilots view the UAV imagery from a birds-eye perspective. UAV pilots can leverage control unit applications to pre-program specific GPS coordinates and create an automated flight path for the drone. (This is mainly conducted for mapping purposes or known preflight destinations. OPD has not utilized this feature as it does not have mapping software. Similar to

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 2

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May 7, 2026

previous years, OPD still does not have mapping software, but has utilized UAVs to assist in crime scene video documentation. If funding becomes available, OPD would consider and request mapping software to assist in crime scene documentation of large-scale crime scenes (e.g., homicides, shootings, fatal collisions.)
UAV have cameras so the UAS pilot can view the aerial perspective. UAS proposed for use by OPD, and any other outside law enforcement agency, use secure digital (SD) memory cards to record image and video data; SD cards can be removed from UAV after flights to input into a computer for evidence uploading.

Total deployments of UAS technology in previous years, to include 2025 as follows:

Year Total UAS Deployments
2023 220
2024 126
2025 130
Total 476

In 2025 the OPD, with the assistance of outside law enforcement agencies, deployed UAS technology 131 (one hundred and thirty-one) times. This is an increase of 5 (five) deployments and missions from prior year 2024, which saw 126 (one hundred and twenty- six) deployments and missions. This is roughly a 41% reduction compared to 2023. OPD’s UAS Program went live in March of 2022. Of the 131 deployments and missions in 2025, one (1) deployment and mission was conducted by Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO); there were no other outside agencies which deployed or assisted OPD in UAS deployments within the City of Oakland in 2025. As stated in the 2023-2024 Annual Reports, at times ACSO, or neighboring agencies with similar UAS Programs, will offer their services prior to being requested0F
1, or at times OPD UAS pilots are not on duty, unavailable or have insufficient resources (UAS fleet or personnel) to properly deploy. However, all agencies will only deploy if requested or approved by an OPD commander and if policy requirements are met.

OPD Electronic Services Unit (ESU) created a spreadsheet in 2022 to track and monitor all UAS deployments, including outside agency deployments. In 2022, Lieutenant O. Daza- Quiroz sent a department wide email mandating all commanders who deploy UAS to author documentation, similar to the protocol for use of the Emergency Rescue / Armored Vehicles.

The process allowed for appropriate documentation. In 2023, commanders distributed Military Equipment Utilization (MEU) notifications via email when any militarized equipment was utilized, which included UAS deployments from OPD or outside agencies. This made it easy to track any outside agency deployments that ESU was not on scene for. ESU was also directed to manually input their deployments into a Microsoft Teams Excel Spreadsheet in order to keep property documentation.

Table 1 below details OPD, ACSO, and other outside agencies deployments in 2025 and compares it to 2023-2024 deployments.

1 ACSO has access to OPD radio channels and can monitor; ACSO personnel at times can respond to a call for service.

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 3

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Table 1: 2025 OPD & Outside Agency UAS Deployments

Incident Type 2023 2024 2025 2025 Outside Agency
Mass casualty incidents 0 0 0 0
Disaster management 0 0 2 0
Missing or lost persons 5 0 0 0
Hazardous material releases 0 0 0 0
Sideshow events 3 5 4 0
Rescue operations 3 0 0 0
Training 15 10 14 0
Barricaded suspects 49 22 26 1
Hostage situations 0 0 0 0
Armed suicidal persons 1 0 0 0
Arrest of armed and/or dangerous
persons
70 47 48 0
Scene documentation for
evidentiary or investigation value
3 2 3 0
Operational pre-planning 0 0 1 0
Service of high-risk search and
arrest warrants
71 38 32 0
Exigent circumstances 0 0 0 0
Total 220 126 130 1

There was one outside agency deployment that occurred within the City of Oakland and described below:
• 16Jun25 - 79th Ave & Alder Street - PC 211: OPD requested ACSO UAS to assist with locating four robbery suspects who fled from a vehicle on foot. CHP Air was overhead and advised of heat signature from a backyard in the area. OPD had located and detained one suspect prior to ACSO arrival. ACSO UAS was utilized to search the surrounding area but nothing of note was seen. Two other subjects surrendered to canine announcements. ACSO UAS conducted multiple flights in the area but did not locate any significant heat signatures or suspects.

B. Whether and how often data acquired through the use of the surveillance technology was shared with outside entities, the name of any recipient entity, the type(s) of data disclosed, under what legal standard(s) the information was disclosed, and the justif ication for the disclosure(s):

Outside Law Enforcement Agencies (ACSO) assisted in one (1) UAS deployments in Oakland in 2025. Because of this, the UAS aircraft that they used captured and stored data.

If requested, these agencies provide OPD with the recordings and the outside agencies store the information in their logs per their respective policy requirements. No outside entity made any requests to OPD to share any of OPD’s data acquired using OPDs UAS, nor did OPD share any data acquired through OPDs UAS with outside entities.

C. Where applicable, a breakdown of what physical objects the surveillance technology hardware was installed upon; using general descriptive terms so as not to reveal the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 4

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May 7, 2026

specific location of such hardware; for surveillance technology software, a breakdown of what data sources the surveillance technology was applied to :

The technology was never installed upon fixed objects.

D. Where applicable, a breakdown of where the surveillance technology was deployed geographically, by each police area in the relevant year

Table 2 below details the Police Areas where UAS were deployed in 2023-2025.

Table 2: OPD UAS Deployment by Police Area

Deployment by
Area
Total Deployments
in 2023
Total Deployments
in 2024
Total Deployments
in 2025
Area 1 39 24 18
Area 2 11 10 7
Area 3 30 13 17
Area 4 34 13 17
Area 5 39 22 28
Area 6 40 29 31
Outside City* 26 15 13
Total* 219 126 131

* Deployments outside the city consist of assistance provided by OPD UAS to local agencies or provided to assist OPD enforcement activities that took place outside the city of Oakland.

E. A summary of community complaints or concerns about the surveillance technology, and an analysis of the technology's adopted use policy and whether it is adequate in protecting civil rights and civil liberties. The analysis shall also identify the race of each person that was subject to the technology’s use. The Privacy Advisory Commission may waive this requirement upon making a determination that the probative value in gathering this information to evaluate the technology’s impact on privacy interests is outweighed by the City’s administrative burden in collecting or verifying this information and the potential greater invasiveness in capturing such data. If the Privacy Advisory Commission makes such a determination, written findings in support of the determination shall be included in the annual report submitted for City Council review

Staff was made aware of the below Opposing and Supporting comments as it relates to the technology. The below chart shows the categories of such comments.

Staff was noticed of
2 messages Opposing and 1 message Supporting of the technology.

Comments Opposing Comments Supporting
General opposition to drone
surveillance
Support for Drone first-responder
program
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 5

Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC)
May 7, 2026

• Concern about expanding mass
surveillance, including for
addressing illegal dumping

OPD use of Flock surveillance systems
that connect privately-owned Ring
doorbells, business cameras, and
drones into one nationwide tracking
network.
• ICE and other federal agencies
have confirmed they can access
these databases for deportation
investigations
Remote license plate readers, cameras,
and drones, has already been deployed
in key areas to aid law enforcement in
deterring and investigating criminal
activity.
• These types of devices have
demonstrated measurable
success in other communities,
providing real-time data to law
enforcement, and helping
prevent and solve crimes.

Table 3 below provides race data related to 2023-2025 UAS deployments.

Table 3: Race of Detainees Connected to OPD UAS Deployments in 2025

Race –
Female
2023
Race –
Female
2024
Race –
Female
2025
Race –
Male
2023
Race –
Male
2024
Race –
Male
2025
Black 74 30 48 104 84 99
Hispanic 36 14 48 95 35 102
Asian 7 2 3 17 3 18
White 4 1 5 12 6 10
Other 10 3 6 17 7 2
Total 131 50 110 245 135 231

OPD will know the race of detainees connected to UAS deployments. However, the race of all individuals involved in many UAS deployments is not known (e.g., cases such as armed and dangerous or barricaded suspects, where no suspect is ever discovered or detained).

There could also be UAS uses for missing persons where the person’s identity is not entirely known nor discovered (there were zero deployments related to missing persons in 2025).

The number of detainees in 2025 was higher than in 2024. There was an outlying incident where a shooting occurred at a warehouse hosting a party that led to most of the increase in detainees in 2025 (25-032736, 75 detainees). For this incident, 50 of the detainees were male Hispanics and 25 were female Hispanics, which contributed to a significant portion of the increase in the number of Hispanic detainees in 2025 relative to 2024. The number of deployments were similar in 2024 and 2025 with 126 and 131 deployments respectively.

F. The results of any internal audits, any information about violations or potential violations of the Surveillance Use Policy, and any actions taken in response unless the release of such information is prohibited by law, including but not limited to confidential personnel Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 6

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file information

The OPD Electronic Services Unit (ESU) maintained a list of all UAS deployment logs for record and tracking purposes. This list was reviewed periodically for accuracy and for assessment of any policy violations. All OPD commanders, per policy, were directed to send communications to ESU for any UAS use – similar to OPD protocols for use of Emergency Rescue Vehicles (ERV) / Armored Suburban. No policy violations were found, and no corrective actions were warranted nor needed in 2025. There was also zero in 2023-2024.

G. Information about any data breaches or other unauthorized access to the data collected by the surveillance technology, including information about the scope of the breach and the actions taken in response.

There were no identifiable data breaches or unauthorized access during the year of 2025, similar to that of 2023-2024.

H. Information, including crime statistics, that helps the community assess whether the surveillance technology has been effective at achieving its identified purposes.

Similar to 2023-2024, in reviewing the 2025 data associated with UAS deployments it was apparent that the unit has been effective at achieving safer outcomes for members of the community, officers, and those we have contacted during investigations.

During this review period OPD had an increase in 4 deployments and/or missions from prior year, which totaled 131. Specific records were kept tracking the efficacy of those deployments with the following results:
• Since tracking began in 2022, subject location success rates started at 75%, dipped to 70% in 2023, then increased to 83% in 2024 before returning to 75% in 2025, indicating overall stable performance with a notable peak in 2024 • Again, similar to previous years, arrest or armed and/or dangerous persons, service of high-risk search and arrest warrants and barricaded suspects saw the highest deployments.
• UAS deployments continue to provide aerial views and interior clearance for police officers, which in turn help mitigate use of force and allow for quicker resolutions. It is this real-time intelligence that allows for negotiation when subjects are located hiding and allows for mitigated use of force incidents. Not all subjects are always hiding when a UAV is overhead or searching an interior dwelling. However, real time intelligence allows officers to understand the layout of the dwelling or have a clear understanding of subjects emerging from dwellings and surrendering. In 2023, 376 subjects were located by the UAS. In 2024, this number decreased to 185 subjects being located. 2025 saw an increase to 341, which is on par with 2023. It is important to note that not all subjects captured through UAV deployment cameras were arrested but it highlights the importance of real-time intelligence and providing additional technology to police officers.
• 80 firearms were recovered from the scenes where UAS were deployed. The firearms were either located during a search of the flight path a suspect took, observed being discarded by suspect(s) during surround and callouts in rear yards or located by officers during searches of areas.

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 7

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• All police areas (Area 1 – Area 6) had UAS deployments. Similar to 2024, Areas 1, 5 and 6 the most deployments while Areas 2, 3 and 4 had the least number of deployments/missions.
• In 2024, we had 184 canine requests with 48 deployments (two of those resulting in bites). In 2025, the Canine Unit had 161 requests, 86 deployments, assisted with 34 surrenders without bites, and had no bites for the year. This is a 12.5% decrease in requests from the previous year. Although there were more deployments, there were no bites associated with those deployments compared to 2024. • OPD also deployed UAS on two occasions for disaster management operations. In coordination with the Oakland Fire Department (OFD), OPD UAVs were deployed to support fire response and recovery efforts as follows:
o July 4, 2025 – 4-Alarm Fire Response (54th Ave & E. 8th St): OPD UAVs were deployed during a large-scale structure fire involving both residential and commercial properties. Real-time aerial imagery and infrared capabilities enhanced situational awareness, allowing responders to identify fire “hot spots,” coordinate evacuations, and support fire suppression efforts. This deployment contributed to the protection of at least one residence from ignition and facilitated the safe evacuation of nearby occupants, with no reported injuries to responding personnel.
o July 8, 2025 – Post-Incident Fire Assessment: Following containment of the fire, OPD UAVs were deployed to assist OFD with disaster management and recovery operations. Aerial and thermal imaging provided real-time intelligence to identify residual heat zones and potential re-ignition risks, improving operational safety and efficiency by reducing the need for personnel to enter structurally compromised areas.

As previously discussed in 2023-2024 annual reports, the number of deployments were the highest for persons who were considered armed and/or dangerous. 2025 was no different with these criteria being the number one deployment reason and seeing 48 deployments. Because of the ability to deploy UAS, responding emergency personnel were better able to create an environment of de-escalation. Absent the UAS, officers would typically resort to calling out the Entry Team, deploying a canine, or physically clearing the area with a search team for the subject(s). All these options have potential for chance encounters resulting in the possibility of force escalation. These options decrease safety for everyone involved to include the community, subjects being searched for, and the officers.

The number of deployments in each category were similar to that of 2024, which saw a similar total number of deployments across the board. A shortcoming can be the lack of usage for missing persons, sideshow, and crime scene documentation. ESU has advised Watch Commanders that UAS can be requested during missing person search, especially during at risk missing persons.

Additionally, there existed more than four incidents of sideshow throughout the city of Oakland in all of 2025 and Commanders also understand that UAS can be deployed for such incidents. As far as criminal follow-up investigations as they relate to homicides, shootings and fatal hit and run collisions, investigators have been advised to reach out to their respective commanders if they believe the deployment of a UAV can assist in video recording of the scene through aerial view.

A sample below outlines just a few of the successful UAS deployments that provided officers with increased safety and conditions for de-escalation:

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 8

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1. Date: 28FEB25
RD: 25-008621
Location: 1321 Peralta St, Oakland CA
Summary: Patrol officers located and attempted to detain a warrant suspect. The suspect fled from officers, ran into an apartment building. Containment of the area was quickly set up. Intel developed that the suspect was possibly armed with a firearm. ESU/UAV was requested to assist with the search and to arrest of the suspect. An exterior drone was deployed to check the roof of the building. The suspect was taken into custody, and a firearm was recovered from the roof.

This incident highlights the use of the drone to quickly gather visual intelligence in areas where sending officers may be unsafe. The use of the drone is also used as a de-escalation tactic to mitigate the use of force and chance encounter with the suspect. The drone located the suspect to provide real time updates and visual intelligence of the suspect’s location and actions so that a tactical plan can be developed to detain and apprehend the suspect.

2. Date: 04MAR25
RD# 25-010160
Location: 1925 17th Ave, Oakland CA
Summary: SRS West executed a search warrant of an illegal gambling shack at 1925 17th Ave. ESU/UAVs were requested and utilized to provide overwatch during the surround and call out of the property in the event subjects started to flee from the area and/or discard evidentiary items/weapons.

An interior drone was utilized to locate several subjects who were barricaded and hiding within the attic and the illegal establishment. Pole camera was utilized to clear the inside of the property in hard-to-reach areas that may have been unsafe to send officers. At the conclusion of this incident, a total of seven individuals were detained and evidence including a firearm was recovered.

This incident highlights the use of the drone to provide overwatch for ground units to enhance their safety from suspects by providing real time visual intelligence. Interior drones were imperative in locating subjects who were evading and hiding from police detention and contact. By locating these subjects who were hiding from officers, tactical plans were developed to safely take the subjects into police detention/custody.

3. Date: 19APR25
RD: 25-0173318
Location: 9850 Holly St, Oakland CA
Summary: Patrol officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation. When they arrived on scene, they contacted the victim who advised they observed their neighbor (S1) fire multiple rounds into the air. When the victim confronted S1, he brandished the firearm and threatened to kill the victim. S1 then fled back into his apartment. The apartment building was evacuated of all occupants, and a surround and callout was initiated by patrol.

ESU/UAV was requested for assistance. Exterior drones were utilized to provide overwatch and to relay live visual intelligence of the target location. Interior drones, pole cams and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 9

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robots were used clear the suspect’s apartment. After receiving information that the suspect may be hiding in the attic of the apartment complex, a Blue Alert was initiated. Shortly after ESU Operators flew an interior drone into the attic. S1 surrendered and was safely taken into custody.

This highlights the use of various ESU Equipment to enhance the safety of officers and for the suspect. By utilizing the listed equipment, it mitigates less risk of an officer having a chance encounter with the suspect. By having the interior drone locating the suspect in the attic, it prevented an officer from placing himself/herself in a dangerous situation where force options may have been used. By having technology and equipment locating the suspect, a tactical plan was developed to safely apprehend the suspect.

4. Date: 10JUL25
RD: 25-025284
Location: 845 92nd Ave, Oakland, cA
Summary: ESU was requested to assist with a call regarding a shooting suspect who was located within a business. The suspect had reportedly fired off several rounds inside of the office and had made comments to friends and family about committing suicide. ESU responded and assisted with aerial overwatch for ground units. An interior drone was used to check the interior of the office space. The interior drone located the subject with an apparent GSW to his head. A loaded handgun was found next to the subject.

This highlights the use of the interior drone to locate armed subjects to prevent officers from having to engage an armed and suicidal subject. By doing so, it can provide additional time to negotiate with the arm subject to surrender or may prevent an officer involved shooting, if the subject was determined to commit suicide by cop. For this scenario, the interior drone located the deceased armed subject.

5. Date: 04JUL25
Location: 5301 E.8th St, Oakland CA
Summary: On 4 Jul 25, at approx. 1657 hrs. OPD Patrol Units observed a large fire in the area of 54th Ave. & San Leandro Blvd. Oakland Fire Department responded to the scene and requested OPD Units to assist with traffic control posts and emergency evacuations in the 5300 block of E 8th Ave. OFD advised that the fire was determined to be a 4-alarm fire meaning a designation used by fire departments to indicate a large, complex fire requiring a significant response. The area is a mixture of residential homes and commercial buildings with the potential for the fire spreading quickly. A 4-alarm fire could potentially result in serious bodily injury or death to area residents and first responders as well as significant property damage. The deployment of drones was to assist OFD and OPD Officers with emergency rescue of area residents who were in immediate danger and identify "hot spots" with the hope of faster containment of the fire. The utilization of the drones assisted OFD with saving a home from catching on fire in the middle of the structure fires, and to safely evacuate the residents without harm. The drones also assisted OPD Units with emergency evacuation of the residents in the 5300 block of E 8th St. No OPD or OFD Injuries reported.

OFD Command updated OPD stating 3 large commercial buildings were destroyed by the fire and it was not known if the buildings were occupied at the time due to the building being unsafe to enter.

On 08JUL25, OFD Requested for OPD Drones to assist with providing an aerial overview of the scene to determine where OFD needed to provide fire services. ESU/UAV operators utilized infrared technology on the drone to assist OFD determine where the “hot spots” Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or Drone) – 2025 Annual Report Date: May 7, 2026 Page 10

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where so that they can put those “hot spots” out and prevent the fire from reigniting or damaging additional structures.

This highlights the use of the drone visual capabilities to provide visual intelligence for disaster management to enhance the safety of first responder personnel on scene and to save homes and provide additional layers of safety measures for residents that require first responder services. The infrared technology on the exterior drones provides thermal intelligence so that fire personnel can assess and determine if they need to respond to provide fire services.

6. Date: 23JUN25
RD: 25-027412
Location: 663 35th St, Oakland CA
Summary: Officers located a suspect of a shooting at this location. A surround and call-out was initiated to take the suspect into custody. UAVs were requested to provide overwatch for the search warrant. While providing overwatch, the UAV caught a suspect throwing the firearm out of a window. The suspect was safely taken into custody and a firearm was recovered.

This highlights the drone’s visual capabilities to provide overwatch and live visual intelligence. The drone was able to capture a firearm being discarded from the residence, which was recovered for evidentiary purposes.

7. Date: 27JUL25
RD: 25-032736
Location: 926 85th Ave, Oakland CA
Summary: Officers responded to the area for several ShotSpotter activations. Officers arrived on scene and determined there was a shooting victim who succumbed to his injuries.

This incident was believed to have stemmed from a large warehouse party. Multiple subjects fled into the warehouse and adjacent yards. UAVs were requested to provide overwatch, identify people fleeing, and search the interior of the warehouse for the suspects. Numerous of people (about 75 people) were detained and multiple firearms were recovered.

While detaining people, at least 4 people broke through the perimeter and fled the area. A UAV operator was able to capture this and follow the suspects several of blocks as they ran through yards. The UAV operator was able to provide responding and arresting officers of the subjects’ location and other subjects’ last known location for a search.

8. Date: 29JUL25
RD#25-033132
Location: 67th Ave and Foothill Blvd, Oakland CA
Summary: Officers responded to the area of 68th Ave and Bancroft Ave for a person screaming. Once on scene, officers observed a suspect exit a vehicle leaving a firearm inside. The suspect fled on foot and a perimeter was established to take the suspect into custody. ESU/UAV was requested to assist with locating the suspect. An exterior drone was deployed. The exterior drone’s infrared located a heat source emanating from a tent where the suspect was observed fleeing towards. UAV and Officers located the suspect hiding under clothing, and he was taken into police custody.

9. Date: 25AUG25
RD: 25-037308
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Location: 1519 Alice St, Oakland CA
Summary: On 25 AUG 25 around 1800 hours officers were dispatched to reports of criminal threats involving a firearm. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to detain the suspect.

The suspect barricaded himself inside the residence. ESU was requested to assist in locating the suspect in the residence. The drone observed the subject exiting the closet in the bedroom. The drone maintained visual on the suspect until he was safely brought into custody.

10. Date: 20NOV25
RD: 25-050759
Location: 2200 E.12th St, Oakland CA
Summary: OPD patrol located a white BMW in the Valero parking lot (2200 E 12th St). The vehicle was determined to be an armed robbery vehicle. A high-risk stop was initiated but the single occupant refused to exit. A Blue Alert was initiated to take the suspect into custody. UAVs were used to provide overwatch and to provide real time updates of the suspect's movements. UAVs were used to check the interior of the vehicle for weapons. The suspect was safely taken into custody with a firearm located on his person.

As UAS deployments increase in response to demands from calls for service, the OPD expects continuous positive outcomes from the use of this technology.

I. Statistics and information about public records act requests regarding the relevant subject surveillance technology, including response rates.

There were zero UAS PRR requests in 2025. There was one in 2024 and zero in 2023. • PRR 24-8854 (2024)

J. Total annual costs for the surveillance technology, including personnel and other ongoing costs, and what source of funding will fund the technology in the coming year

The UAS unit currently has 1 Lieutenant, 2 Sergeants and 22 Officers. These members engage in 240 hours of training annually to ensure compliance with Department policy and FAA regulations. The member’s training is conducted during their regular scheduled shifts, when possible, minimizing costs. Officers not assigned to specialized units and working patrol will normally have to backfill for themselves, which can create overtime costs.

Adjusting for top rate salary, the training is estimated to cost $365,745.60 (for 22 top step officers), $38,361.60 (for 2 sergeants) and $22,185.60 (for 1 Lieutenant), or $426,292.80 total.

K. Any requested modifications to the Surveillance Use Policy and a detailed basis for the request.

In 2023 there were slight modifications to the DGO I-25 due to Assembly Bill (AB) 481 which required California law enforcement agencies to obtain approval of a Military Equipment Use Policy. City of Oakland Police Commission and OPD reviewed the policy and provided minor edits and additions. The Police Commission and Public Safety approved the changes.

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OPD is committed to providing the best services to our community while being transparent and instilling trust through constitutional and procedurally just policing. This report follows these OPD commitments. OPD hopes that this report helps to strengthen our trust within the Oakland community.

Reviewed by:

Tracey Jones, Police Services Manager
OPD, BRM, Research and Planning Unit

Prepared by:

Omar Daza-Quiroz, Acting Deputy Chief
OPD, Bureau of Investigations

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