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Fresno Police outlines drone, SWAT and less-lethal use in AB 481 report as residents demand more detail
Summary
Fresno Police presented its 2025 AB 481 military-equipment report, which logged 293 drone deployments and reports no unauthorized uses. Residents and advocates pressed for fuller cost reporting, purpose-by-use summaries and clearer drone retention policies; the department scheduled a community meeting March 25 and council consideration March 26.
The Fresno Police Department presented its 2025 annual military equipment use report (AB 481) to the City Council on March 19 and faced sustained questions from residents about transparency, privacy and cost reporting.
Police staff told the council and the public that drones were the most-used equipment category in 2025, with 293 deployments documented across crime scenes, searches, missing-person calls and perimeter support. The department said it decommissioned 38 older drones in 2025 and that many new acquisitions were funded by grants; maintenance-level spending was expected for FY27. Chief Casto (identified in prior council remarks) told the council the department physically responded to "378,000 calls for service in person" last year and that deployments involving specialized equipment were a small subset of that total.
Residents at council chambers and during the public comment period pressed for greater detail. Speakers and advocacy groups asked the city to provide: a purpose-level summary for each type of equipment (as required by AB 481); a full accounting of acquisition and personnel costs for deployed equipment; geographic detail on where equipment was used; and public access to departmental drone policies and retention schedules. One commenter said drone policy language posted on the department'9s site was difficult to find and urged the city to publish administrative orders cited in the report.
The department responded that its policies (referenced in the report as policy 3439 and related general orders) are posted on fresno.gov, that each deployment is internally reviewed and audited, and that the department reported zero unauthorized uses recorded in its complaint system for the year. Staff also said most equipment acquisitions were grant-funded and that no major new purchases were planned for the coming fiscal year beyond maintenance and replacements.
Council members and the public were split on whether to approve the report as presented or to refer it back for more detail; the council moved the item from consent to a standalone review and the department scheduled a community meeting for Wednesday, March 25 to take input before the council'9s vote on March 26.
What residents asked for: requesters asked the department to add deployment-level purpose language to the written report, to disclose estimated annual personnel costs associated with each equipment type, to clarify drone footage retention periods and to map deployments by neighborhood so elected officials can assess equity and operational questions.
What the department says next: FPD said it will hold a community meeting March 25 and return to the council March 26 with any clarifications. The report will remain posted on the city website for public review.
