Council approves application for up to $305,000 motor vehicle crime grant to fund cameras and drone first-responder program

Wichita Falls — The City Council on May 20 authorized the city manager to apply for up to $305,000 from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority to support the police department’s license-plate-camera program and to fund a drone-based first-responder capability.

The police chief told the council the city previously used the Motor Vehicle Crime grant to fund license-plate-reader (“flock”) cameras and that this application would extend camera coverage into fiscal year 2026. Staff also said the city will request funding for a drone-first-responder system that could be launched to incidents such as motor-vehicle thefts, burglaries or structure fires to provide immediate aerial assessment.

"It's also keyed on 911. So if a 911 call comes in, if it's a particular type call, it'll launch itself out to it," the police chief said of the proposed drone system, describing an encapsulated drone that can automatically deploy on qualifying 911 calls. The chief added the drone program is expensive and that the grant would cover roughly 80% of costs, with an estimated 20% local match.

Staff estimated the drone and associated program at about $305,000 with a required 20% match (approximately $61,000). The council voted to approve the grant application by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded on the public record.

The police chief described other grant-funded camera equipment already in the field and said the proposed cameras would add pan/tilt/360-degree capabilities in strategic locations to support investigations. If funded, staff said the drone program would provide aerial information to both police and fire responses and that further procurement details and deployment rules would be developed by the departments before the system is activated.