Police Chief Gerke told the council the department seeks to contract for two packages: Fusus, software that integrates external camera feeds, and Skydio’s DFR (drone first‑responder) program. Chief Gerke said most of the department’s systems are Axon‑related and the proposed purchases will integrate with existing hardware.

Chief Gerke described use cases including quicker situational awareness for officers responding to robberies and other critical incidents. He said the Fusus package under consideration would allow the city to bring in up to 7,000 external camera feeds and that the drone purchase would provide five drones stationed across police and fire locations to deliver aerial intelligence before responders arrive. He presented an annual cost of $304,999.90 and said the item is budgeted via a supplemental appropriation.

A councilmember (identified in the transcript as Speaker 15) raised an explicit civil‑liberties concern, characterizing the proposal as potentially "Orwellian" and asking how the city will protect privacy. Chief Gerke responded that staff would place policies limiting access to official purposes and that it would not be feasible to monitor all camera feeds continuously; he said staff would focus intake on commercial cameras in areas with higher crime and that operational rules would prevent casual or curiosity‑driven use of the system.

Why it matters: the purchases expand the department’s surveillance and aerial‑response capabilities and carry privacy implications that council members flagged during the discussion. Chief Gerke said restrictions and policies will govern use.

Next steps: staff will bring contract documents and policy language to council for formal authorization and to clarify which private camera agreements (commercial vs. residential) the city will seek.