WASHINGTON OFFICE
J, L U IS C R R E A
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC MUCUS
20B2 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BuILOING Du u" Wuip FOR POLICY WASHIN GTO N, DC 2d51 FJ
202) 225r2965 46TH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA HOUSE COMNRTEE ON HOMELAND SECuFm RANKm MEMBER, SII6COMMITTEE ON Bns DER
J, f }
r
SEMRITV, AND ENFORCEMENT
SANTA
BRADWAY, SOFFICE 011grv5! 5 of the nitro - VW5 SLIRLOMMRTEE CN COIINTERTERRnn1SM, 2323 N. BROAD NAY, SL 1TE 319 j j J V+ F
LAW ENFQRCEMEW, U NIELLIG WE
SAwA Am, CA 92706
y y F4 y 7f ( f + f g Fy} y #} i
U14} 55B-- 6190 oasL VL
grtgentatibts'
HOUSE CORM FTEEONTHEJUDIOARY
rr
SUMOMMITTEE ON THE ADMINISTFIAT! NE STATE,
flmu ATORY' REFORM, AND AARi sT
Y ` J ll' l 14 ' 7
SUSCOMMVff# E ON" IGRATON NTgGRRY,. SEf MM.
AHD ENFORCEMENT
January 22, 2026
The Honorable Valerie Amezcua City of SantaAna City Councilmembers Mayor of the City of Santa Ana Santa Ana City Hall
Santa Ana City Hall 20 Civic Center Plaza
20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Dear Mayor Amezcua and Santa Ana City Councilmembers,
As the Congressional representative for the City of SantaAna, I am writing to express my support for a city resolution in support of establishing an unmanned aerial system( aka" drone") program to enhance safety for both Santa Ana residents and law enforcement.
Today, drones are being used for many purposes, from assisting in firefighting to saving lives. Drones have also been used by public safety agencies to investigate traffic collision sites, assist with search and rescue operations, and provide intelligence in hostage situations, active shooters, and other high- risk scenarios. By using drones, public safety agencies can better assessa situation before public safety officers arrive, and many times eliminate the need to use deadly force. Drones can also minimize" high- speed" chasesthat generally result in loss of life and/or serious injury.
Drones are a much more cost- effective alternative than traditional aerial vehicles— like helicopters— and greatly increase response times and department efficiency. Each time a helicopter takes off from a helipad, the minimum cost is $2,000 per launch, plus other costs.
While drones pose legitimate privacy concerns, crafting good policy will help mitigate, if not eliminate such concerns. Organizations, like the American Civil Liberties Union, have helped local cities create good" drone use" guidelines to addressprivacy concerns. Here in California, the City of Chula Vista has been a national leader in crafting good public policy that incorporates guardrails to protect civil liberties in drone use policy.
Such safeguards could include limitations on data retention, clearly communicated policies for the public, and regular audits to ensure oversight.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to continuing our partnership for the benefit of our constituents.
Sincerely,
J. Luis Correa
Member of Congress
Becerra, Alexis
From: jennifer peatco. net < jennifer@peatco. net>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 12:18 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Public Comment— Support for Responsible Drone Use in Policing Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
I support the City of Santa Ana' s use of drones as a policing and public safety tool.
As a business stakeholder working daily with property owners and tenants impacted by crime and public safety issues in this city, I see firsthand how crime, vandalism, illegal dumping, trespassing, and unmanaged encampments directly harm businesses, residents, and the local economy. These conditions drive up costs, deter customers, increase insurance claims, and place an unfair burden on property owners who are already struggling to operate responsibly.
At the same time, Santa Ana Police officers are spread thin. Expecting traditional patrol methods alone to address today' s volume and complexity of incidents is unrealistic. Drones are a practical force multiplier. They allow officers to quickly assess situations, locate suspects, document active crimes, and deploy resources efficiently— often preventing escalation and reducing the need for physical confrontations.
This can reduce response times, improve officer safety, and help restore order in areas that have been repeatedly impacted by crime and disorder. For businesses and property owners, that translates into safer premises, fewer repeat incidents, and a more stable environment for employees, tenants, and customers.
As for constitutional concerns, responsible drone use can and must comply with the Fourth Amendment. Drones should be deployed for specific, legitimate law enforcement purposes, not indiscriminate surveillance. Use should be governed by written policies, supervisor authorization, defined retention limits, and strict prohibitions against monitoring lawful activity. These guardrails already exist in constitutional law and can be clearly enforced at the local level.
Used correctly, drones do not erode civil liberties— they can reduce unnecessary police encounters, limit officer exposure, and provide objective documentation of events. The choice is not between safety and privacy; it is between modern, regulated tools and outdated approaches that no longer meet the realities on the ground.
Santa Ana' s residents, businesses, and property owners deserve effective policing that reflects current conditions. I urge the City to move forward with drone deployment promptly, with transparency and accountability.
Public safety is not optional. It is foundational.
Thank you.
Best regards,
CMCA®, CCAM®, AMS®IF
CA DRE License# 01207218
Oregon REA Princ. Broker License# 201229227
CA Notary Public
j ennifer( a, peatco. net
1 PEATCO PROPERTIES, LTD.
WWW. PEATCO. NET
DRE License# 01359060
Mailing Address:
25108 Marguerite Parkway, Suite A526
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Office Address:
30021 Tomas. Suite 300
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
949- 951- 5055
949- 951- 5079( f)
Inland Empire Office
41593 Winchester Road, Suite 200
Temecula, CA 92590
951- 888- 4943
The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/ or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this e- mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by replying to the message and deleting the material from your computer.
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail 2 Becerra, Alexis
From: Scott Burnett <
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 1:31 PM
To: eComment
Subject: COMMENT: Drone as a First Responder System and Patrol Drone Purchase for the Police Department
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
After seeing success in other cities regarding apprehending graffiti criminals, as well as being able to keep track of, if not be the first visualizer of, shootings, car chases etc, I've always thought Santa Ana would be a perfect recipient of similar drone policing.
As we know, our city is rife with too many things to be able to effectively monitor and/ or police with the available in- person staff. Implementing drones seems like at least a good step toward being able to be " in more places at once." Graffiti taggers obviously only do it when no one can see them, but a drone could catch them. Drones move fast, and could be overhead before a tagger could duck and cover. Street takeovers by the 360 crews could be much more easily caught if the lookouts at ends of streets didn' t see a drone coming. Illegal dangerous fireworks, even more so since lights on a drone wouldn' t be easily seen on the ground amidst smoke and light bangs ( running without lights seems obvious but unsure what FAA regs dictate). Drive by shootings, robbery, ICE activity... with HD cameras in use on drones, there seem to be so many applications that they would be perfect for.
If I were allowed a suggestion: allow for an increase in funding after 12 months, and a matrix produced to set realistic goals for the increase. I think whatever goals may tentatively be set, we might find that this move is far more successful than a proposal can imagine. Might have to up our game mid- season.
Thanks for listening.
Scott Burnett
French Park
i
Becerra, Alexis
From: Ronnie Sandoval < ronnie. sandoval@ccbarriohousing. org> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 2:24 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Drone Program
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
Drone' s are WONDERFUL idea!!
My vote and that of CCBHC Families would vote for Drones.
Regards,
CCBHC
IZcnnv & Sa tdaval,,
Chief Executive Officer
Email: Ronnie. Sandoval@ccbarriohousing. org
Civic Center Barrio Housing Corporation
1277 South Lyon Street, Suite 505
Santa Ana, California 92705
Telephone Direct Extension ( 714) 835- 5339
Cell ( 714) 272- 5885
Fax: ( 714) 966- 0589
After Hour Maintenance Emergency ( 714) 272- 5885
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information in this e- mail message is intended for the confidential use of the addressees only, and may be subject to the tenant/ attorney/ client privilege and/ or may be privileged work- product. Recipients should not forward this to any third parties, nor file copies of this e-mail with publicly accessible records. If you are not an addressee, or an authorized agent responsible for delivering this e- mail to a designated addressee, then you have received this e- mail in error and any further review, dissemination, distribution, copying or forwarding of this e- mail is strictly prohibited. Moreover, any such inadvertent disclosure shall not compromise or waive the work product/ company privilege as to this communication. If you received this e- mail in error, please notify me immediately at( 714) 835- 5339. Thank you.
1 Zuniga, Diana
From: Marie <
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 4:59 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Drones as a First Responder
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
I am in FAVOR of the Drones as a First Responder program.
Marie
Zuniga, Diana
From: pjl <
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 6:03 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Drones as a First Responder
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
Santa Ana uses helicopters; with drones we don' t have to pay or compete with outside sourcing.
DRONES are orders of magnitude less expensive and faster than helicopters.
DRONES are ( will be) faster; multiple stations, multiple operators. Operators able to handle different zones.
DRONES response can be less than 1 minute. When you have an emergency, minutes count.
DRONESenable a quick assessment of the situation; and quick dispatch of best assets available; whether police, fire, or medical.
Implementation and maintenance costs lower. We have a budget issue pending.
Able to record the issue; items of interest before the situation changes. Better than a ( fallible) eye witness, or misinformation.
Faster triage. Quieter. More efficient.
No pensions or retirement healthcare. Saves a lot of money going forward.
No disability, sick, injured, or training time off impacting costs and scheduling.
Able to update faster. ( software, hardware, and incidents).
Able to bring into service within days/ weeks; v. months ( years) for recruitment and training.
Better ROI, drones won' t leave to a different agency or offer.
Much less expensive that fully kilted officers.
Many drones can be used for the cost of a single patrol vehicle.
Avoids possible escalation of an issue by the appearance of a marked police car.
Safer for us all than a chase, or emergency vehicle hurrying to an incident.
DRONES do not " spy' on you. The cameras look down at launch and landing . Once airborne, the cameras shift to the horizon for navigation ( and privacy). It only shifts down again when it reaches the dispatch destination.
They will not be " patrolling"; they are employed as a FIRST RESPONSE.
Santa Ana is surrounded by Cities that already have their own drones. They all have better responses.
SAFER FOR OFFICERS; FEWER CONFRONTATIONS. THINK OF PATROLING/ RESPONDING TO ISSUES ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS OR OTHER SKETCHY PLACES.
Pete
His private character is not defended by his most partial friends. He is bankrupt beyond redemption except by the plunder of his country. His public principles have no other spring or aim than his own aggrandizement... If he can he will certainly disturb our institutions to secure himself permanent power and with it wealth. He is truly the Catiline of America." Alexander Hamilton 1 Please help prevent spam. Use the BCCfeature if you need to broadcast a mail. Please do not forward this e mail address. If you have received this in error, please notify sender and delete the original. This message is confidential and should not be rebroadcast without permission.
z
Zuniga, Diana
From: Zach Shapiro <
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 2:05 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Please support ITEM # 15 on the agenda( Drones for our Police Department) Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
Hello,
My name is Zachary Shapiro, and I am a resident of the Sandepointe neighborhood in Santa Ana.
I strongly support the purchase of Drones to be used by our Police department as a first responder system and in other ways. Some examples in which I think this will help our community include:
Determining where illegal fireworks are being set off( These fireworks have often disrupted our peace in the middle of the night, even when not close to July 4th).
Finding where gun shots are being fired.
Getting to crimes faster, such as burglaries in progress and crimes at the park.
Catching people who steal packages from the front of homes.
Please move forward with this agreement as I think it will provide a valuable tool that will serve our community in so many important ways.
1 Zuniga, Diana
From: Marcella Collins <
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 4:16 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Santa Ana Drone Program
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
This is to state my opinion that I am in favor of implementing a drone program. I have seen good things from the program in Irvine, where drones have been effective in identifying and capturing criminals. Of course, this is contingent on them only being used by and for our local police department. I am not in favor of sharing information with any federal agencies.
Thank you for considering my opinion,
Marcella Collins
Santa Ana 92707
Sent from Yahoo Mail for Whone
1 Zuniga, Diana
From: Timothy Rush <
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2026 9:54 AM
To: eComment
Subject: Council Agenda item 02/ 03/ 26, Purchase of Drones for SAPD Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council:
It is hard to imagine any investment of taxpayer money that would have a greater payoff than this proposal. A by product of Santa Ana being the only large city in the County not to have drones is we can make a wise purchase without the mistakes made by other municipalities.
On behalf of the G- 7 Neighborhood Leaders Alliance ( comprised of neighborhood leaders from 18 different Neighbourhood associations in Santa Ana) we unanimously all encourage you to vote. Yes, on this proposal at tonight' s meeting. This will improve dramatically the quality of life and safety of the Golden city.
Thank you for your consideration
Sincerely,
Tim Rush, founder and chairman on behalf of the G- 7 Sent from my iPhone 1 Becerra, Alexis
From: Tommy Cota <
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 1:49 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Drones as a first response
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
YES! Santa Ana having drones as a first response is a responsible decision for our city. Please pass this- It will make Santa Ana safer and the benefit will be for all residents.
Tommy Cota
Santa Ana 92707
1 Becerra, Alexis
From: T. Frias <
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 2:58 PM
To: eComment
Subject: RE: Item # 15 Drone Program
Attachments: Drone Program Letter. docx
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
Madam Mayor& City Council members,
Attached is my letter in support of Item# 15 the proposed Drone program. 1 Feb. 2, 2026
Hello Madam Mayor & City Council members,
My name is Tammy Frias and I'm the elected President of the Sandpointe Neighborhood Association.
The majority of the Sandpointe Neighborhood supports the proposed Drone Program.
have spoken to various city leaders in some of the other cities in Orange County where they already have the drone program up and running, & all I' ve heard is rave reviews, and that it is a " Game Changer" in fighting not only crimes, but " Silver Alerts" as well.
The drones can reach the area in question in a matter of minutes versus an officer in a patrol car or motorcycle that is subject to traffic slowing them down.
They are also equipped with special thermal sensors, & spotlights, to help locate an individual/ individuals in low light or foggy areas, and have loud speaker capability.
All extras that are needed for real time intelligence with an aerial perspective.
Drones can also capture high resolution images providing better intelligence / evidence for prosecutors.
It is my belief that these drones will prove very valuable in our war against illegal fireworks in this city!
They will also be beneficial is burglaries in progress, porch pirates, crimes in the parks, hard to reach areas like crimes in the flood control channel, lost children or seniors, as well as in
Disaster Response" assessing damage after an earthquake or fire.
Please vote yes to approve Item # 15 " Drone Program"
for the city of Santa Ana.
Thank- you for your time... ....
Becerra, Alexis
From: Katre Kruus < Katre. Kruus@ea. epson. com>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 7:07 PM
To: eComment; Bacerra, Phil; Amezcua, Valerie
Cc: Rush, Tim GMAIL; Jeffrey. katz@kesherlawgroup. com; bujantbujan@aol. com Subject: Support for Agenda Item 15 — Drone as a First Responder Program - Feb 3, 2026 Meeting
Attachments: OC Registry Stanton drone program. pdf
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
Dear Mayor and Members of the Santa Ana City Council,
I am writing to express our support for Agenda Item 15 regarding the proposed agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for the implementation of the Drone as a First Responder system and the acquisition of patrol drones for the Santa Ana Police Department.
The benefits of similar programs have already been observed in our region. For example, the City of Stanton used drones to support enforcement against illegal Fourth of July fireworks, resulting in nearly$ 1 million in fines and significant deterrence of hazardous behavior, including one citation totaling $ 300, 000 for illegal fireworks discharges. This effort— detailed in the CIC Register link below and attached— demonstrates how unmanned aerial systems can enhance public safety and compliance with local laws. https:// www. ocregister. com/ 2025/ 09/ 03/ in- oc- stantons- new- drone- d riven- crackdown- on- illegal- fourth- of- july- fireworks- leads- to- sky- high- fines- including- a- 300k- citation- for- one- reveler/ I appreciate the City' s leadership in adopting technologies that help protect our community, and I encourage the Council to authorize the proposed agreement.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Katre Kruus & Anthony Bujan
Santa Ana Triangle
company Epson America, Inc.
cell 949- 290- 4029
KATRE KRUUS email I<atre. l<ruus@ea. epson. com
PRODUCT MANAGER
website www. epson. com
SYSTEM DEVICES
address 3131 Katella Avenue
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
1 This message, and any attachments, is intended only for the intended recipient( s) and may be privileged, confidential, and/ or proprietary information belonging to Epson America, Inc. If you are not the intended recipient( s), or agent responsible to deliver this message to the intended recipient( s), you are hereby notified that any review, e-transmission, conversion to hard copy, copying, circulation or other use of this message or any attachments is strictly prohibited and may be illegal. If you are not the intended recipient( s), please notify the sender immediately by return email and permanently delete this message and any attachments.
z
NEWS CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY
OC resident hit with $ 300K fine
for illegal fireworks in July 4
crackdown
Stanton officials hope the Fourth of July
program will lead residents to think twice
before sparking up illegal fireworks.
By RYANNE MENA I rmena@scng. com
PUBLISHED: September 3, 2025 at 5:36 PM PDT I UPDATED: September 3, 2025 at 6: 09 PM PDT
In Stanton, an effort to crack down on illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July by using unmanned drones appears to have paid off: The city issued nearly$ 1 million in illegal fireworks fines, including one $ 300,000 citation, officials confirmed.
Stanton drones reportedly captured $ 929,000 worth of illegal firework violations, involving 18 citations between July 2 and July 5, according to Stanton City Manager Hannah Shin- Heydorn. The city rolled out a Fourth of July drone program this year to catch and fine those engaging in illegal firework activity following the passage of a spring ordinance.
At one property, 300 illegal fireworks allegedly were discharged between 6:52 p.m. and 10:10 p.m. on July 4, per a now- deleted photo posted on Reddit of the costly citation, with each violation carrying a $ 1, 000 fine. The $ 300, 000 citation is the largest illegal firework citation by far, Shin-Heydorn said.
The Southern California News Group requested a copy of the citation that would include details of the $ 300,000 citation, and where exactly it occurred and who was involved. But Stanton officials said they could not publicly release the document, claiming it first needs to be reviewed by a lawyer and necessary redactions must be made.
Verifying each captured instance of illegal firework activity is a lengthy process, said Shin- Heydorn, requiring minute- by-minute review. Citations are later mailed to the property owner, under the city's social host ordinance, and owners have the option to appeal.
This really wasn' t about the citation amount," Shin- Heydorn said. "The council for many, many years has been concerned about the use of illegal fireworks.
And I think we've seen so many unnecessarily bad things happen in communities."
In neighboring Buena Park, eight- year- old Jasmine Nguyen of Anaheim was killed.byan illegalfireworkexplosiononthe FourthofJuly.
We' re really trying to send across a message about how serious of an issue this is, right? I mean, yes, on the one hand, it sounds like a large number, but when you read our ordinance and you realize they had to discharge, sell, or store 300 individual illegal fireworks in a community that is highly dense with properties right next to each other and crowds in the street and you realize what they were willing to risk, I think that helps put into perspective," Shin- Heydorn said.
So, what' s going to happen with all that citation money? Under a state health Stanton officials hope the program, and resulting citations, deter residents from sparking up illegal fireworks going forward.
We have senior apartments, we have people with post-war syndrome, we also have animals. ... So, over the years, it's been very disturbing for the quality of life for everyone," said Stanton Mayor David Shawver.
Stanton' s illegal firework drone deterrence program is planned to continue into next year.
In an ideal world, nobody' s using illegal fireworks and no citations have to be issued in the future," Shin- Heydorn said.
OTheTrustProject
v
Around the Web REVCC, NTENT
Shoulder Pain Experts Stunned: New Device is
Changing Lives Fast
RejuvaCare
Becerra, Alexis
From: Virginia Smith <
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Drone Program
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
I would like to see the City of Santa Ana develop a drone program. We have seen over the past years how drones can assist the police in doing their jobs and detecting situations that you would normally not be able to do. Drones would provide faster response times, help with search and rescue, enhance public safety and help with disaster response.
I am in favor of a drone program for Santa Ana.
Virginia Smith
Santa Ana Resident for 30 years.
i
Becerra, Alexis
From: Katherine Freeman <
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 9:22 PM
To: eComment
Subject: 15 Axon Drone and First Responder Contract.
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
Dear City Manager and City Council Members,
I am writing to formally request your approval of the contract for the Drone First Responder program to support the Santa Ana Police Department.
The implementation of this program is essential to address our current shortage of 38 police officers. As the only Sanctuary City in Orange County, it is imperative that we secure additional resources to maintain public safety. I urge you to vote in favor of this contract to provide our department with the technology necessary to bridge the existing staffing gap and enhance our community' s safety efforts.
Thank you for your time and for your continued dedication to the City of Santa Ana.
Best regards,
Katherine Freeman
President Republic Homes- South Metro
G- 7 member
i
Becerra, Alexis
From: Jeffrey Katz <jeffrey. [email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 11:06 PM
To: eComment; Amezcua, Valerie; Lopez, Jessie; Bacerra, Phil Subject: Agenda Item 15 - Public Comment on Proposed Drone Contract for Santa Ana Police Department
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
Members of the Council—
I know that in some circles, supporting police technology is treated like admitting you still use plastic straws.
But here' s the reality: criminals in Santa Ana are not waiting for a consensus statement from the progressive caucus before they commit crimes.
Drones are not about turning Santa Ana into a surveillance state. They' re about finding suspects faster, locating missing persons, reducing dangerous foot pursuits, and keeping both residents and officers alive. If a drone can de- escalate a situation instead of sending an officer running into a dark alley, that' s not oppression— that' s common sense.
We already live in a world where everyone carries a high- definition surveillance device in their pocket and posts their lives online voluntarily. But suddenly a drone used to stop crime is the threat to civil liberties? That' s not a serious argument— it' s political theater.
Public safety should not be a partisan experiment or an ideological purity test. The question is simple: do we want a police department that is modern, effective, and safer for the public— or do we want to keep pretending that crime can be solved with hashtags and press releases? This is a chance to choose results over rhetoric. I urge you to approve the motion.
Thank you.
Jeffrey A. Katz I Attorney at Law
1919 N. Heliotrope Dr.
Santa Ana, CA 92706
Direct Dial: ( 714) 296- 8309
Email: jeffrey. katz@kesherlawgroup. com
i
Becerra, Alexis
From: victor@unitedartistsofsantaana. com
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 2:07 AM
To: eComment
Cc: Lopez, Jessie; Hernandez, Johnathan; Bacerra, Phil; Phan, Thai; Amezcua, Valerie; Vazquez, Benjamin; Penaloza, David; Le, Tram; !City Clerk Subject: eComment - City Council - Goal Setting - IncreasedArts Funding Attention: This emailoriginatedfrom outsideof City of SantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsor links.
Hello, City Council and Mayor,
I am writing to recommend increased arts funding as a priority in the new city budget.
While I wasn' t able to to attend the January 23rd special meeting regarding City Council Goal Setting, I would like to present for your consideration the e- comment I submitted to the Arts Commission on January 15th regarding recommendations to increase arts funding, hire additional Arts & Culture Office staff, and also identifying several sources of funding to achieve this.
Potential additional revenue sources to fund the arts budget include:
The Americans for the Arts' Arts and Economic Prosperity study identified that Santa Ana' s non- profit arts sector contributes $ 54 million in spending, including 1, 164, 146 in direct local tax revenue, $ 2, 461, 189 in state tax revenue and 8, 988, 242 in federal tax revenue. This does not include for- profit arts businesses such as The Observatory and the Picture Show movie theater at Main Place Mall, or independent galleries, grassroots and community- based artists and organizations who make up the lion' s share of Santa Ana' s arts community.
Santa Ana Marijuana Tax revenue - When the marijuana tax was being discussed, arts funding was one of the proposed uses, but it was inexplicably removed at the last minute. Restoring funding from this program would provide significant revenue for the arts and culture program.
1% for the Arts/ Hotel Motel tax - this has been an ongoing recommendation that would contribute a significant source of revenue.
A voluntary Millage Fee that is sent out with utility bills.
Another important goal for the City is to review the Arts Master Plan, which was approved in 2016, and examine which goals have not been met and dedicate resources to achieve them.
Please read my comments to the Arts Commission below.
Thank You,
Victor Payan
i
Co- Founder, United Artists of Santa Ana
Original Message --------
Subject: Arts Commission Public Comment: Discussion of Arts & Culture Master Plan Update Date: 202 6- 01- 15 18: 24
From: victor@unitedartistsofsantaana. com
To: eComment@santa- ana. org
Cc: BZurita@santa- ana. org, TLe5@santa- ana. org
Hello, Arts Commissioners,
As you may be aware United Artists of Santa Ana' s members, particularly Pocha Pena and myself, were key partners in the effort to create the Santa Ana Arts Master Plan. In addition to years- long advocacy to bring the effort to fruition, we conducted extensive community outreach, participated in almost all of the community input sessions, and even hosted several community meetings the consultants did not plan to have. These included community input sessions for youth, seniors, veterans, LGTBQ+ artists, media artists and Spanish- speakers.
While the Arts Master Plan has been highly effective in developing Santa Ana' s arts and culture sector and serving residents, there are some key areas where it has not advanced in regard to recommendations made in the plan.
I urge you to consider the following recommendations and present them to the City regarding some unmet needs identified in the Arts Master Plan that would greatly improve its impact.
Some recommendations that align with the Santa Ana Arts Master Plan
1. Increase the funding for the arts program commensurate with new programs, duties and growth of the program since 2017. Rather than being seriously addressed by the City, the arts budget has not increased significantly and has faced defunding threats in recent years. Adding an additional $ 300, 000 to the arts program budget will help strengthen and expand the Arts and Culture office' s staffing, program and service capacity.
Potential additional revenue sources to fund the arts budget include:
The Americans for the Arts' Arts and Economic Prosperity study identified that Santa Ana' s non- profit arts sector contributes $ 54 million in spending, including 1, 164, 146 in direct local tax revenue, $ 2, 461, 189 in state tax revenue and 8, 988, 242 in federal tax revenue. This does not include for- profit arts businesses such as The Observatory and the Picture Show movie theater at Main Place Mall, 2 or independent galleries, grassroots and community- based artists and organizations who make up the lion' s share of Santa Ana' s arts community.
Santa Ana Marijuana Tax revenue - When the marijuana tax was being discussed, arts funding was one of the proposed uses, but it was inexplicably removed at the last minute. Restoring funding from this program would provide significant revenue for the arts and culture program.
1% for the Arts/ Hotel Motel tax - this has been an ongoing recommendation that would contribute a significant source of revenue.
A voluntary Millage Fee that is sent out with utility bills.
2. Add one or two new staffers to the office. This was a recommendation of the Arts Master Plan, and sources of revenue were identified to achieve this. It is unfortunate to hear the Arts & Culture Office criticized by individuals who have benefitted greatly financially from the City' s arts programs yet who prefer to attack the staff rather than offer solutions that would spread the increased workload and improve service overall. If two staffers are added, the recommendation is to add an assistant and a public art staffer to help with the work of the Arts and Culture Office. This would also free up time for the current Arts & Culture Specialist to identify and work on grants to solicit new sources of revenue for the program.
3. Create a policy for Arts Empowerment Zones. This was a recommendation we made that was included in the Arts Master Plan up to the final public review meeting, but was mysteriously removed before it was presented to the City Council for approval. This was a major betrayal to the community, as it would have created a policy for the City to determine where arts development should take place and also offer incentives to property owners and artist in the identified Arts Empowerment Zones. This would have addressed the practice of developers using artists to gentrify communities and also created a framework for the City to plan Cultural Districts in the City. Creating policy for Arts Empowerment Zones as fulfills several Master Plan priorities and would have a longterm positive impact on the city, its artists and its residents.
4. Utilize and pay respected arts professionals and not arts commissioners as panelists to judge arts grant proposals following best practices. This was also identified as a recommendation recommended in the Arts Master Plan. Using Commisisoners as panelists opens the process to conflicts of interest, as has been pointed out before in this very commission, and commissioners can also be lobbied by unscrupulous applicants, as we have also seen with this commission. Currently, we understand that the City requires potential panelists to provide their own insurance to be considered, and this is not only ridiculous, it chases away the very panelists who could best serve our arts community.
Below are some recommendations from the Santa Ana Arts Master Plan that speak to and reinforce the call for these recommendations presented today, particularly with regards to funding sources to expand the arts and culture programming, staffing, etc.
I encourage you to consider these recommendations and present them to the City Council and Mayor as key to making good on the promise of the Arts and Culture Master 3 Plan to enhance the vitality, livability, economy and opportunities of Santa Ana, its artist and its resdients.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at 619- 701- 0073 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Victor Payan
Co- Founder
United Artists of Santa Ana ( UASA)
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE SANTA ANA ARTS MASTER PLAN
Recommendation 2. 3: Develop a staffing plan to allow for the incremental implementation of the arts and cultural plan.
According the 2015 Americans for the Arts national arts census, more than 77% of local arts agencies in the country have at least one paid professional staff. Those that do not are generally very small communities where volunteers carry out arts functions. Santa Ana is a community with a robust arts and creative community and is in need of a City staff for plan implementation.
This arts and cultural plan is a large and complicated undertaking, spanning ten years.
While it is understood that limited staffing resources are available in the first 2- 3 years, as implementation moves forward, staff should be added incrementally. Initially, the minimum needs will be a staff director for the Arts Commission ( assigned from the City Manager' s Office) and an administrative assistant from the Community Development Agency. A public art program coordinator in the Department of Planning and Building will also be a required position.
Recommendation 2. 4: Explore long- term funding options for arts and cultural investments and to ensure implementation of this arts and cultural plan.
Currently, the City' s arts budget, apart from the annual item for the Bowers Museum, is approximately $ 175, 000 from the General Fund and may not increase significantly in the early period of plan implementation. However, the exploration of alternative funding sources is recommended as part of the City and Taskforce responsibilities. Municipalities use a variety of strategies to support arts and cultural development. The following are approaches that should be considered as this plan moves toward implementation. It is noted that the General Fund allocations are the most common source of municipal arts support.
4 Several recommendations to develop a fund for arts infrastructure include:
Voluntary millage fee promoted via utility bills
Dedicating a percentage of business taxes and fees
Dedicating Hotel/ Motel tax dollars
Applying for grants such as:
ArtPlace America Grant ( up to $ 500, 000)
National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Grant ( up to $ 250, 000) California Arts Council Creative California Communities Grant ( up to $ 70, 000) If the City decides to proceed with a live- work venue, a combination of a bond issue, tax increment and private fund- raising could augment the resources that the nonprofit developer would be raising.
Over the longer term, the City should seek to institute a dedicated revenue stream to fund its arts and cultural development programs. Examples include:
Many cities, including many in California, allocate a portion of the Transit Occupancy
Hotel) Tax for the arts.
More than 600 municipalities allocate between 1% and 2% of CIP project budgets for public art.
Some cities extend the percent for art requirement to new private commercial, industrial and residential development.
Some cities broaden the definition of public art in their percent for art policy to include arts programming in public spaces.
Some cities ( Denver, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh) have created arts and cultural funding districts that dedicate sales or property tax to fund the arts. It should be noted that such dedication of taxes to specific purposes requires a 2/ 3rds vote of the citizens under California' s Proposition 13.
Sometimes Business Improvement Districts ( BIDs) collect funds to support funding for the arts.
There are many cities that have created Friends of the Arts organizations or foundations to generate private funding for the arts.
For vacant buildings, cities have established fees/ fines for buildings that remain vacant for extended periods of time. This program has proved very successful in cities such as San Antonio.
Recommendation 8. 1: Develop a Public Art Program.
Initiative 8. 1. 1: Adopt a two percent for art ordinance or policy for all City CIP projects.
It is recommended the program utilize professional art selection panels ( see Recommendation 2. 1 regarding peer panels). The intent of the program is to select 5 artists as members of the design team for the underlying capital project. The panels select artists, not specific artworks, in most instances. Artists' selections are referred to the Arts Commission for review and recommendation to the City Council for approval. In certain projects, community outreach and engagement is part of the selection and approval process.
Initiative 8. 1. 2: Consider extension of the public art requirement to new private commercial, industrial and multi- unit residential development.
This initiative would have two approaches. If the private developer wishes to place the art within the project, the contribution is Z%, matching the City' s commitment.
However, if the developer does not want to place public art, the developer has the option of making a 1% in- lieu fee to the City to be used for any arts- related purposes.
This may be a source of funding for the needed professional public art coordinator. The artist selection process for private development art projects involves negotiations between the developer and staff from the Planning and Building Department. 6 From: Anita Tran
To: eComment
Subject: DRONES- AS- A FIRST RESPONSE
Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 8: 09: 13 AM
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
Yes, I agreef that drones could be useful tool in certain situations and budget cost savings as ait is already being usedin the Department of War. However, I hope not to seeso many of them outside my home office and doesn't replace human kindness interactions where it will be needed..... and most of all, we should also think about" internal controls" of mismanagement of this drone programs...
i
1 L.
Becerra, Alexis
From: William Beaubeaux <
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 8:50 AM
To: eComment
Subject: Approval and support for Agenda Item # 15 Drones City Council Meeting February 3, 2026
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
Honorable Mayor and City Council,
I urge you to approve Item 15
Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. to provide the Drone as a First Responder system, patrol drones, and all required software licenses to the Police Department, in an amount not to exceed $ 682, 900 for a term beginning February 3, 2026 and expiring February 2, 2029 ( Agreement No. A- 2026- XXX)."
The City of Santa Ana is obligated to help and assist our Police Department in their efforts to keep the City of Santa Ana Safe! The drone program is an excellent program that will increase police coverage and will assist the police in quicker response to the growing gang violence and crime in our city. Let' s work together, as a community, and give our police department the tools they need to continue their work in providing a safer city for all of us.
Thank you for your support.
William Beaubeaux, NCARB
1003 N Spurgeon Street
Historic French Park
Santa Ana, California 92701
714- 240- 2739 mobile
1 Flores, Dora
From: LoriTheNaz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February
To: eComment
Subject: PublicComment - ConsentCalendarItem15
Attention: ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsideofCityofSantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsorlinks.
Hello,
IamwritinginregardstoConsentCalendaritem #15regardingthePoliceDepartment’sPurchaseofDronesfromAxon Enterprises. IurgetheCityCounciltorejectthisitem. TheSantaAnaPoliceDepartmentandbyextensiontheCityof SantaAnashouldNOTbedoingbusinesswithanIsraelicompanythattesteditsproductonciviliansinGaza.
Asa15yearresidentofSantaAna, Idon’t wantmyCityfinanciallysupportingacompanythattestedaproducton civiliansmuchlessbringthatproductthatcompanytestedonwomenandchildrentoourstreets.
ThesedronesarealsobeingusedbythecurrentembarrassmentofanadministrationinourcountrythroughICEandI wouldexpectthiscounciltointentionallynotsupportcompaniesthatareinanywayassociatedwiththeabhorrent actionsandgarbageethicsofthisadministration.
Pleaseopttodirectthepolicedepartmenttofindanalternativecompanytodobusinesswith. Itwouldbepreferableto seethempoliceDepartmentandCitychoosingAmericanownedandoperatedcompaniesandlocalsmallbusinessesto makethepurchasefrom.
Thankyou,
LoriNaz
SentusingmyiPhonepleaseexcuseanytypos
1 Flores, Dora
From: Helmuth, Julie <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February3, 202610:48AM
To: eComment
Subject: AgendaItem15, February3, 2026
Attachments: SantaAnaDrones1.pdf
Attention: ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsideofCityofSantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsorlinks.
Pleaseincludele?erfortonight'sagendaitem #15
Thankyou!
Julie Helmuth
ExecutiveAssistantto
StevenOh, EVPandJonathanShum, SVP
RELATEDCOMPANIES
Phone: 949660-7272x271
[email protected]
Theinformationcontainedinthismessageandanyattachment(s) maybeprivileged, confidential, proprietaryor otherwiseprotectedfromdisclosureandisintendedsolelyfor theuseof theindividualor entityto whomit is addressed. If youarenottheintendedrecipient, youareherebynotifiedthatanydissemination, distribution, copyingor useof thismessageandanyattachmentisstrictlyprohibitedandmaybeunlawful. If youhave receivedthismessagein error, pleasenotifyusimmediatelybyreplyingto thisemailandpermanentlydelete themessagefromyourcomputer. Nothingcontainedinthismessageand/oranyattachment(s) constitutesa solicitationor anofferto buyor sellanysecurities.
2 RELATED CALIFORNIA • 18201 Von Karman Ave., Ste. 900, Irvine, CA 92612 • ( 949) 660- 7272 phone • ( 949) 660- 7273 fax • www. relatedca. com February 3, 2026
Dear Santa Ana Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers,
Among Santa Ana residents and business owners public safety ranks as one of the most concerning and challenging issues facing this historic city. It poses a real threat to community members and hinders the ability to attract new business investment and development so vital to generating much needed tax revenue and jobs for the City.
This is why Related Bristol urges the City Council to approve a request from the Santa Ana Police Department to purchase a series of first- responder drones to aid officers in assessing andresponding to emergencies, including hostage, barricade and armed offender situations as well as fire incidents, search andrescue and vehicular accidents.
The benefits ofthis technology, currently in playin mostof Orange County’s 34 cities, but not Santa Ana, are compelling. Drones can arrive at an accident or crime scene in under two minutes, providing crucial intelligence before officers or fire crewsreach the incident. Drones also reduce risks to officers in hazardous situations and this leading- edge technology has a “force multiplier” effect, allowing limited personnel to coverlarge areas.
Related is investing $ 3 billion in the future of this great City by redeveloping 41 acres on South Bristol Street into a vibrant mixed- use urban village with apartments, shops, restaurants, services, cafes and 13 acres of programmed open space. Our commitment to build Related Bristol shows we believe deeply in the city’s importance, central location and bright future.
However, we share the concerns of many, including the City’s top public safety officials, that without the most advanced modern equipment, like drones, it is difficult to properly andresponsibly serve one ofthe largest cities and most densely populated in Orange County when an emergency occurs.
Simply put, when a 911 call comes in, every second matters. Drones can provide an almost immediate assessment of what is unfolding on the ground, certainly far faster than officers racing multiple miles on crowded city streets to reach an urgent situation. Drones can, and have been, the difference between a positive andtragic outcome in cities across our region.
We urge the City Council to make an important and potentially life- saving investment by approving the Drone request before you tonight.
Thank you for your consideration,
Steven Oh, Executive Vice President
Related California
Flores, Dora
From: NetZero <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday,
To: Amezcua, Valerie; Nunez, Alvaro; Bacerra, Phil; eComment Subject: AgendaItem15 - PublicCommentonSAPDDroneContract Attention: ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsideofCityofSantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsorlinks.
DearMayorAmezcua, CityManagerNunezandMembersoftheCouncil— IamwritinginsupportoftheSantaAnaPoliceDepartment’seffortstopurchasedronesforthedepartment.
Thisissomethingwehavelongsupportedprimarilybecauseoftheincreasedefficiencyandeffectivenessof deployinglawenforcementpersonneltotheplaceswheretheirhelpismosturgentlyneeded.
DroneshaveproventobeaneffectiveuseofpolicetechnologyinotheragenciesandastheseatofOrange Countyit issomethingourpoliceofficersshouldbeabletocallupon.
InadditiontosavingtheCitymoneywearenowspending “renting” unitsfromneighboringcities, theuseof thistechnologywillsavehoursofstafftimeforofficersdispatchedtoscenesbynothavingthemroutedbya requestforserviceonlytofindwhentheyarrivethatthereisnocriminalactivitytakingplaceatthelocation.
Dronescanbeusedtopinpointpeoplesettingofffireworksandenableofficerstoissuetickets. Thiswillhelp staveoffthefireworksactivitysomanyresidentscomplainabouteveryyearwhilealsoenablingtheCityof fineoffenders.
Droneshavebeenproveneffectiveespeciallyinsituationswherewearesendinganofficerrunningintoadark alleynotknowingwhattheywillencounter. Thisincreasestheofficer’ssafetyandpotentiallythesafetyof othersinthearea.
PublicsafetyshouldbeparamountintheCity’splans. Eachyearweareaskedwhatourthoughtsareonwhere theCityshouldspenditsmoneyandresources. EachyearPublicSafetycomesbackasnumberone. The purchaseofthedroneswillgoalongwaytohelpourpolicedepartmentdotheirjobsinasafeandeffective manner.
Wewouldappreciateyourapprovalonthismotion.
Thankyou.
MaryLouBranch
YoungSquare
3 Flores, Dora
From: DaleHelvig <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday,
To: Amezcua, Valerie; Phan, Thai; Vazquez, Benjamin; Lopez, Jessie; Bacerra, Phil; Hernandez, Johnathan; Penaloza, David
Cc: Nunez, Alvaro; Carvalho, SoniaR.; Vazquez, Sylvia; Thai, Minh; Hall, Jennifer; eComment
Subject: 2026-02-03LettertoCityCouncil - Item15
Attachments: 2026-02-03LettertoCityCouncil-Item15.pdf
Attention: ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsideofCityofSantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsorlinks.
Fortonight’sCityCouncilmee?ng…
DaleHelvig
Resident, SantaAna
4 Page1 of 1
Some text in quotes is shown in BOLD and colored red for emphasis. 2026-02-03 Letter to City Council- Item 15
Dale Helvig
Resident, SantaAna CA92706
February 3, 2026
Mayor Amezcuaand SantaAna City Councilmembers
City of SantaAna
20 CivicCenter Plaza, 8thFloor
SantaAna CA92702
Subject: Item 15 – Implementation of the Drone as a First Responder System I hoping we all agree that the safety of every resident is paramount when we make decisions. It is my belief the Drone as a First Responder Systemmeets this requirement. That is why I support Item 15.
I’m sure some people will have reservations about using drones within the city, but I feel the necessaryprecautions have been taken to ensure privacy and protect the residents.
Somekey statements in the staff report, “The policy provides the framework for the use of DFRand patrol drones, including provisions to safeguard the Community’s Constitutional Rights and to ensure transparency and accountability.” and “Equipped with real-time information from the drone' s video stream, the pilot, field- based police supervisors, and responding officers will be able to coordinate their actions more effectively and gather information in direct support of the Department’s de-escalation strategy.” I agree with CongressmanLou Correa in his letter to you when he says, “By using drones, public safety agencies can better assessa situation before public safety officers arrive, and many times eliminate the need to use deadly force”; and, “While drones pose legitimate privacy concerns, crafting good policy will help mitigate, if not eliminate such concerns.”
When you can provide legal and non-lethal information to law enforcement prior to their arrival at the scene, we all win.
Respectfully,
Dale A Helvig
Resident, SantaAna
cc: Alvaro Nuñez,
City Manager, SantaAna
SoniaCarvalho,
City Attorney, SantaAna
Minh Thai,
Deputy City Manager, SantaAna
SylviaVazquez,
Deputy City Manager, SantaAna
Becerra, Alexis
From: Norma Morgan <
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 12:09 PM
To: eComment
Subject: Drones
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
I Lydia Rodriguez, I fully support the integration of drones into law enforcement operations. It has an significant advantage in solving crime in real time. Our Officers work very hard long hours It would modernize the efforts. The other increase advantage it would gather data during any emergencies such as search , rescue , traffic control, crowd control and natural disasters. Lastly it would provide a safety check and reduce the risk of harm of our Law enforcement Officers. Its a win win for the People of Santa Ana and our hard working officers.
Regards,
Lydia Rodriguez
Sandpointe residen
1 From: Jackie Angel Investor
To: eComment
Cc: City Clerk
Subject: Bringing The Genocide Home: SAPD Asks Council For Drone Used In Gaza Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 12: 21: 01 PM
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
From: Inadvertent< inadvertent@substack. com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 8:33: 33 AM
To:
Subject: Bringing The Genocide Home: SAPD Asks Council For Drone Used In Gaza Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
Bringing The Genocide Home: SAPD
Asks Council For Drone Used In Gaza
SAPIDwants drones that were trained during genocide on Palestinians in Gaza. ICE uses the same drone system.
BEN CAMACHO
FEB 3
I ICJ READ IN APP
SAPIDICE" is a new series by Inadvertent highlighting all of the ways SAPD supports ICE or is aligned with ICE. You can support this series by becoming a paid subscriber or tipping the publication here.
FURSubscribed
Skydio X10 drone. Credit: Skydio
In the near future when Santa Ana residents look up and see the police department' s drones flying overhead, they will be looking at the same type of drone that the Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) used against Palestinians in Gaza at the start of the genocide. That' s if the city council tonight votes in favor of purchasing the Skydio drones listed on the staff report slated for the council' s consideration. Skydio, a Silicon Valley- based drone manufacturer and Israeli- genocide profiteer has partnered with Axon, a body- worn camera manufacturer and Israeli- apartheid profiteer, to mass distribute its drones to police across the US, federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE), and military. It is no secret that American weapons and technology have enabled Israel' s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, however, the Santa Ana Police Department' s (SAPD) move to purchase Skydio' s X10 drones is a clear example of the imperial boomerang completing yet another arc: ensuring the war comes home.
In 2023, Skydio sent the OF over one- hundred drones at the start of the genocide. The company' s artificial intelligence ( AI) system that powers the drones was then trained and refined on Palestinians during the onslaught that followed, according to reports. SAPD is now taking steps to deploy that same system in Santa Ana. The drones are capable of autonomous flights, feature thermal cameras and are connected to Axon' s centralized database called Axon Evidence. They can track and follow a person or car moving through a city. During the genocide in Gaza, the OF used the drones for reconnaissance and mapping structures. According to a report, Skydio maintains an office in Israel and is partnered with Israeli company DefenSync to continue selling to the IDF.
ICE also purchased Skydio drones in 2025 and 2024 through another of Skydio' s partners, Atlantic Diving Supply. Since at least 2021, ICE has purchased X1 OD drones, a military variant of the X10 SAPD wants to bring to Santa Ana.
One of Skydio' s other military drones, the RQ-28A, has already been trained with the US military to drop live grenades from it. In a podcast interview, Skydio CEO and co- founder Adam Bry was asked, " Can you put a gun on that thing?"
Bry laughed and responded, " Well, in the US it is illegal to put any kind of weapon on a drone and fly it in civilian airspace. But you should talk to our friends at Axon about the possibility of putting a taser on it." Skydio spokesperson Annie Aleman stated that the company has no comment at this time.
The staff report submitted to council by SAPD Chief Robert Rodriguez, states that the drones will be used to implement a new program: Drone as a First Responder ( DFR). The report reads, " The research conducted... concluded that integrating Axon' s [ DFR] system with Skydio X10 drones will improve the Department' s ability to serve the community by leveraging modern, commonly used drone technology. The DFR system will enable the Police Department to respond... by deploying strategically placed, dock- based drones throughout the city. The strategically placed drones will directly benefit the community by providing expedited call- for-service response times and gathering critical real-time information about the incident as it develops." The staff report also states that SAPD formed a drone committee to determine which drone system the department should pursue.
DFR is marketed as a way to reduce 911 response times and keep physical confrontations from happening, it is one of the latest trends in policing programs. However, the tech build up in cities across the US — at the hands of police and police foundations — that enables DFR and other surveillance operations, and the tech companies' partnerships with each other, signal a powerful surveillance state that underlies any message from a local police department saying the drones are to combat " illegal fireworks." There is no indication that the drones requested by SAPD will be used to directly harm residents, but the proliferation of Skydio' s drones throughout the US has resulted in the erosion of Americans' privacy. Bry stated that the company will be doing " close to 100, 00 flights per month" by the end of 2025.
Paired with the buildup of Flock Safety' s automated license plate reader infrastructure throughout the US, police and federal agencies are handing Americans' data and personal identifying information to private tech companies And ICE is using that to surveil people.
Just last summer, Skydio drones were used to say on the public protesting against the Trump regime at " No Kings Day" in June. In 2024, the drones were used to spy on anti- war protests at college campuses including Yale. @trtworld
0 TRT World on Instagram: " AI- powered Skydio
drones used by Isr...
It is unclear if SAPD is aware of Skydio and Axon' s connections to the Israeli- genocide and apartheid system. It is not mentioned in the staff report and SAPD Public Information Officer Natalie Garcia did not directly respond to questions about that or other issues about the drones. Garcia stated that due to the " operational tempo" of SAPD, they cannot respond by publishing time.
Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua and council members Thai Viet Phan, Phil Bacerra, David Penaloza, Ben Vazquez and Jessie Lopez did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Council member Johnathan Hernandez stated that he is concerned about the technology used in a genocide coming to Santa Ana.
Bry, Skydio' s CEO and co-founder, said in the podcast interview that he began his journey wanting to be the best remote- controlled plane pilot when he was a child. This evolved as technology progressed. He is now one of the faces of a rapidly expanding company that has been backed by Israeli- tied private equity and Axon itself. One of its top clients is the US Department of Defense.
I've been working on this stuff since I was a little kid and I want to be working on it for the rest of my life," said Bry, " I don' t be a part of building this kind of dystopian future where we' ve got drones following us around all the time." The podcast host responded, " I get the privacy concern, I don' t want to pretend like it's not there. I mean look, if there was a drone flying around my house every day, I' d be like ` what the f—', I would shoot it down." Thankyou for supportingthisreporting. Yourdonations
ensurethat all of the unseenpre-reportingworkcan
happen. Send this piece to someone you know will be
interested. One-time tipj' ar here.
1 SHARE
10I LIKE COMMENT RESTACK
2026 Ben Camacho Enterprises LLC
1401 21st ST# 7026, Sacramento, CA 95811
Unsubscribe
SantaAna city voted 4-3 on Tuesdayto affirm their support for the city' s military equipment policy despite community opposition. No member of the public spoke in favor of the military equipment policy at the meeting.
@CityofSantaAna
Thai Viet Phan
Valerie Amezcua
Phil Bacerra
David Penaloza
voted in favor of SAPD continuing to usemilitary equipment and move towards a drone program.
hiWs:// laist. com/ news/ criminal- justice/ santa- ana- drone- gram- ab481 Becerra, Alexis
From: CSO Orange < orangecountycso@gmail. com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 1:19 PM
To: eComment
Subject: City Council 2/ 3 Item 15
Attention: This email originated from outside of City of SantaAna. Use caution when opening attachmentsor links.
Good afternoon,
My name is Abe, I' m a member of Community Service Organization Orange County. We are writing to the council to demand that the city manager not authorize the agreement with Axon Enterprise for the Drone as a First Responder System.
In an article recently published by Ben Camacho on Inadvertent, it is reported that the drones being purchased with Santaneros' taxes were tested in Gaza by Israeli Defense Forces ( IDF) in 2023, committing several atrocities and initiating a new genocide against the Palestinians. To sign this agreement would be an approval of and explicit support for the horrific violations of human rights that continue to this day.
Compounded with the Automatic License Plate Readers ( ALPRs) currently in use by Santa Ana PD, this further increases surveillance of everyday people in Santa Ana, including protestors and bystanders to police operations.
The proposed department policies regarding data privacy and security for these drones are meaningless to the public when our Police Oversight Commission faces uncertainty regarding its powers. Santaneros deserve a say in police matters, and it is NO on item 15!
Community Service Organization.
1 Flores, Dora
From: AaronSaliba <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February3, 20261:55PM
To: eComment
Subject: SupportforAgendaItem #15 – SAPDDroneProgram
Attention: ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsideofCityofSantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsorlinks.
DearMayorandMembersof theSantaAnaCityCouncil,
Onbehalfof theSantaAnahotelcommunity, I amwritingtoexpressstrongsupportforAgendaItem #15regardingthe SantaAnaPoliceDepartment’srequestforapprovaltoutilizebudgetedfundsfor thepurchaseof twodrones.
WeappreciatetherecentinformationsharedbySAPDhighlightingthecontinueddecreasein crimecitywide. These effortsareessentialtomaintainingasafeandwelcomingenvironmentfor residents, workers, andvisitorsalike.
Ashoteliers, publicsafetyisdirectlytiedtothesuccessof ourbusinessesandtoSantaAna’sreputationasadestination.
SAPDhasidentifiedapproximately $275,000alreadyallocatedin itsbudgetfor twodrones, pendingCouncilapproval.
Thesetoolswouldallowofficerstoassesssituationsin realtime, prioritizecallsmoreaccurately, andexpanddepartment serviceswithoutimmediatelydeployingpersonneltoeveryincident.
Whilecertaincalls—suchasvehiclebreak-ins— mayappearlowerpriority, whentheyoccuronhotelpropertytheyhave anoutsizedimpactonvisitors’ perceptionof SantaAna. Evenasinglenegativeexperiencecandiscouragerepeat visitation, whichultimatelyaffectsHotelVisitorTaxrevenuethathelpsfundpublicsafetyandothervitalcity services. My teamisconstantlytryingtowinbusinessfromneighboringcities – havingareputationasasafecityisvery importantin theseefforts. I believethatthedroneprogramwill greatlyenhancetheSAPD’seffectivenessandhelpmake ourcityasaferplaceforresidentsandvisitorsalike.
It isalsoimportanttonotethatSantaAnaiscurrentlytheonlycityin OrangeCountywithoutadroneprogramforits policedepartment. Approvingthisrequestwouldbringourcityin linewithneighboringjurisdictionsandprovideSAPD withmoderntoolsthatenhanceefficiency, officersafety, andcommunityconfidence.
WerespectfullyurgetheCityCounciltoapproveAgendaItem #15andallowSAPDtomoveforwardwiththisimportant investmentin publicsafety.
Sincerely,
AaronSaliba | GeneralManager
Hotel Zessa, a DoubleTreeby Hilton™
FormerlyDoubleTreebyHiltonSantaAnaOrangeCountyAirport
direct: 714.442.1908 | hotel: 714.825.3333 | fax: 714.825.3320 [email protected]
201E. MacArthurBlvd. SantaAna, CA 92707 | hotelzessa.com | @hotelzessa 1 2
Flores, Dora
From: FrankAtayde <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February3, 20261:56PM
To: eComment
Subject: SupportforDroneAgendaItem #15 - SAPDDroneProgram Attachments: Thiefonabicycle.pdf
Attention: ThisemailoriginatedfromoutsideofCityofSantaAna. Usecautionwhenopeningattachmentsorlinks.
To the HonorableMayorandCityCouncilorsof SantaAna,
Thismessageis to formallyseekyourapprovalfor the acquisitionof twodronesfor the SantaAna PoliceDepartment. Onbehalfof thelocalhospitalityindustry, I wouldlike to voicethe collective concernsof hoteliersregardingthe safetyandsecurityof our guests.
In the hospitalityindustry, a singlenegativereviewregardingsafetycansignificantlyimpactour businessand, consequently, the city's taxrevenue. To illustratetheneedfor this technology, I would like to cite a recurringissuein theHotelTerracearea (Ward6). Since2023, an individualon a bicycle hasbeentargetingguestvehicles, oftenin broaddaylight. Whentheseincidentsare reported, they are frequentlynot prioritizeddue to otheremergencies, allowingthe suspectto flee beforeofficers arrive. With theuseof a drone, theSAPDwouldbe ableto tracksuchindividualsin realtime, allowingofficersto apprehendthemquicklyandeffectively. Pleasefindthe attachedimagesof a guest’s brokenvehiclewindowand the suspectin question.
Whileweare awareof concernsregardingresidentprivacy, I wantto emphasizethatthis projectis a vitalstepfor publicsafetyratherthanan invasionof privacy. Furthermore, the budgetfor this purchasehasalreadybeenallocatedandwill not divertfundsfromotherprojectproposals.
As the Cityof SantaAnais consideredoneof the top citiesin OrangeCounty, it is concerningthat wearecurrentlytheonly city withouta drone, oftenrequiringourPoliceDepartmentto borrow equipmentfromneighboringjurisdictions.
We respectfullyurgetheCityCouncilto approveAgendaItem #15 andprovidethe SAPDwiththese necessarytoolsto protectour community.
Sincerely,
FrankAtayde
GeneralManager
HolidayInnOrangeCountyAirport
2726S. GrandAvenue
SantaAna, CA92705
Phone: 714/481-6310, Fax: 714/966-1889
www.holidayinn.com/jwa-airport
3