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City authorizes purchase of fixed‑wing aircraft for police air support; paid from restricted law‑enforcement and forfeiture funds
Summary
The City Council authorized purchase and outfitting of a fixed‑wing aircraft to expand Police Department air support capacity and reduce helicopter maintenance exposure; the acquisition will be paid from restricted law‑enforcement grant and forfeiture funds and proceed on a time‑sensitive schedule.
The San Jose City Council on Sept. 16 authorized the city manager to execute agreements to acquire and outfit a fixed‑wing aircraft to supplement the Police Department’s helicopter (Air 3) and expand aerial coverage for public‑safety operations. The purchase was approved unanimously.
Staff and police briefed the council that since the department retired its prior fixed‑wing plane in 2018 the helicopter has carried nearly all air support workloads, leaving the unit vulnerable during helicopter maintenance and generating high maintenance costs. The proposed Kodiak 100 (or comparable fixed‑wing) would provide extended flight times (6–8 hours), greater mission availability (staff projection: boosting availability from the current ~37% to over 90%), and lower helicopter flight hours and long‑term maintenance costs. Staff estimated that reduced helicopter utilization could save an estimated $1.4 million in maintenance across the next decade.
The administration emphasized that the purchase will not use the city’s general fund. Funding sources cited in the staff report included Supplemental Law Enforcement Services (SLES) grant balances, state and federal drug forfeiture funds and foundation support. Because the aircraft became available on a short timetable (a prior contract cancellation had freed a plane), staff urged council action to secure an on‑the‑shelf aircraft and begin outfitting in time for major 2026 events in the region. Councilmembers questioned ongoing maintenance and deployment plans; staff described integration with the Real‑Time Intelligence Center and said the plane would be part of a multi‑tool air support model (fixed wing + helicopter + drones).
The council voted 9‑0 to authorize the city manager to proceed with the purchase and outfitting (initial acquisition and configuration cost cited in staff materials: approximately $5.1 million), subject to appropriation and available restricted funds. The vote included authority for the city manager to negotiate amendments and to exercise vendor options as needed. Staff said the procurement opportunity is time‑sensitive given typical 18–24 month new‑build timelines and an available existing airframe.
Why this matters: The city’s public‑safety aerial resources support vehicle pursuits, search and rescue, suspect location, and crime‑suppression operations; a second aircraft increases redundancy and continuous availability and reduces reliance on the single helicopter. Council emphasized that funding will be drawn from restricted federal/state law enforcement grant and forfeiture balances, not from the city’s general fund.
Implementation and next steps: Staff will complete procurement and outfitting, integrate the aircraft into air support operations, and provide council with any required subsequent appropriation requests and operational reporting as required by city purchasing and grant conditions.
