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Police propose phased purchase of vehicle barriers and tethered drones for special events
Summary
Wausau police asked the committee for a multi‑year CIP to acquire truck‑stopping barriers and tethered drones to improve event safety; department proposed breaking a roughly $650,000 need into staged purchases over four years to spread cost and staffing demands.
Wausau Police Department officials told the CIP committee on July 21 that modernized event security will require both certified vehicle barriers and persistent aerial surveillance to protect large crowds at parades and downtown festivals.
Deputy Chief Todd Payton (presented earlier in the year to a public safety committee) and other department staff described how wooden sawhorse barricades traditionally used for parades no longer meet current risk profiles. The department recommended portable, truck‑stopping road barriers and tethered drone systems (which can remain aloft for extended periods without battery swaps) to extend visual coverage and reduce the number of officers required for situational awareness.
Because the overall program cost is high, police proposed phasing procurement over four years rather than requesting a single large appropriation. The department provided an example phasing that begins at approximately $108,000 in the first year and scales in subsequent years to acquire additional barriers and drone equipment. Presenters said use of DPW equipment (for example, graders or dump trucks) to block parade routes is less professional and more labor‑intensive than commercially available vehicle‑stopping systems.
Committee members did not object to adding the item to the CIP book for ranking; the department said no immediate purchase is required for 2026 but wants the committee and council to be aware of the multi‑year plan as event safety standards evolve.
