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Castle Rock authorizes two Flock Safety drones for first responders; mayoral recusal noted
Summary
Council approved a three‑year lease for two Flock Safety drone systems to launch from town locations for emergency and public‑safety responses, with operations and maintenance included in the vendor agreement. Mayor Pro Tem recused due to a declared Verizon affiliation.
The Castle Rock Town Council on June 3 approved a master services agreement to lease two Flock Safety drones for a three‑year period to support a drones‑for‑first‑responders program. The resolution passed with one council recusal: the mayor pro tem declared a conflict and did not vote.
Program features and purpose
Town police staff described the drones as an enhancement to existing police and public‑safety tools (license‑plate readers, patrol drones and a real‑time crime center). The Flock drone system proposed is designed for rapid remote launch from fixed docking sites, automatic battery swaps in a docked charger, thermal/night capability and an integrated air‑traffic display to avoid other aircraft. The vendor will also coordinate FAA waiver filings required for operations to 400 feet and will provide temporary remote operators while regulatory approvals are pending.
Use cases and policy safeguards
Police staff said the drones would be used for emergency calls for service, vehicle crashes, wildfire/brushfire reconnaissance, missing or at‑risk persons, school threats, organized retail theft and other public‑safety responses — not for continuous random surveillance. The department said it has written policies to prevent discriminatory or unauthorized use and that each deployment will be tied to a specific incident or public‑safety need.
Costs and procurement
The three‑year lease cost is $200,000 per year for two drones; maintenance, repair and certain regulatory support were included in the vendor package. Council noted this is a subscription approach similar to prior technology purchases and that the lease model preserves options to update equipment as technology evolves.
Vote and recusal
Council approved the resolution 6–0 with the mayor pro tem recused. Council members said the technology is intended as a force multiplier for recently funded police positions and as part of the town’s investment in public‑safety technology.
Ending
The police department will proceed with vendor onboarding and FAA coordination; staff said they will return to council or provide updates as waivers, operational sites and detailed procedures are finalized.
