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El Centro police say drone program has boosted safety; officials stress rules and oversight
Summary
Acting Deputy Chief Renee McNish told the City Council the department’s two-drone program has provided real‑time intelligence and supported arrests while emphasizing FAA oversight, strict supervisor approval and recorded flights; council and residents asked about privacy, costs and future expansion.
Acting Deputy Chief Renee McNish told the El Centro City Council on Tuesday that the city’s police drone program has become a “force multiplier” for public safety, helping officers locate missing people, gather intelligence in critical incidents and reduce risk for first responders.
The update, which included a short video produced by department media staff, said the department operates two Skyo X10 drones and had completed more than 360 total flights and roughly 80 flight hours combined. McNish said the program deployed 78 times across 21 missions in 2024, 300 deployments across 109 missions in 2025, and recorded 24 deployments in 2026 that department staff linked to 10…
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