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East Hartford council approves applying for JAG funds to buy police drone; council seeks data and policy details
Summary
The council authorized an application for a $17,153 JAG grant to buy a Skydio X10 drone to support search‑and‑rescue, traffic response and officer safety. Police said the package includes encrypted cloud evidence storage and that officers would be FAA Part 107 certified; councilors asked for usage, storage and policy details before purchase.
The Town Council voted April 21 to authorize staff to apply for an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) of $17,153 for a Skydio X10 drone for the police department.
Michael Stoll, joined by Lieutenant Cortez and other officers, told council the drone would expand search‑and‑rescue capabilities, improve traffic incident response and enhance officer safety. Stoll said the Skydio X10 is on a federally approved list and that many neighboring departments already use drones. He described a recent local case where another agency’s drone helped locate a missing person with heat‑signature capability and said having a local drone could have sped the response.
Councilors pressed police on logistics and policy. Questions included where equipment would be stored (station versus cruiser), whether storage and cloud evidence handling were included in grant pricing, recurring subscription costs for encrypted cloud storage, operator training and how many drones the department eventually envisions. Police said the vendor package includes Pelican transport case and cloud evidence storage that is encrypted and federally backed; officers said they will require Part 107 FAA certification for operators and will return to council with purchase details and usage policies before acquiring equipment.
Councilor Harry Madison and others emphasized the need to update town policy to define usage, data retention and safeguards, and several members recommended keeping the drone staged at headquarters rather than deployed from cruisers to ensure availability and central oversight. The motion to apply for the grant passed unanimously on an oral vote.
Why it matters
The drone would add an aerial capability the police department says has proven useful in neighboring towns and in past mutual‑aid incidents; council approval of the application preserves the funding opportunity but does not authorize purchase or operation until procurement and policy are presented.
What’s next
Police will return to council with procurement specifics, a usage policy and data‑retention plan prior to purchase. The JAG application deadline was noted in the meeting as April 28.
