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Stockton council approves $3.15M amendment to add Flock drones after hours of debate
Summary
After extensive public comment and council questioning about privacy, ICE access and evidence of effectiveness, Stockton's City Council approved a $3.15 million amendment to the city's Flock contract to add drone capability for first‑responder use. Council and police said footage would be owned by the department and retained 30 days unless saved as evidence.
The Stockton City Council voted 7–0 March 31 to approve a $3,150,000 amendment to its contract with Flock Group Inc. to add a drone-based first‑responder capability, a measure supporters said will speed police situational awareness and critics said will expand surveillance at high cost.
City staff and police officials told council the program would station drones at three city locations, allow near‑instant deployment linked to CAD dispatch, and provide response times as fast as 30 seconds to four minutes depending on range. "These drones will give officers real-time updates on scene so they can better de‑escalate and know what they're walking into," Deputy…
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