Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board approves most police equipment requests but defers drone purchase to capital review
Summary
After hearing a bottom‑line spending request from the police chief, the Select Board approved funding for urgent equipment — AED batteries, medical bags, ballistic plates and cruiser maintenance — but removed a proposed American‑made drone from the request pending capital committee review.
The Select Board on June 16 approved the Southborough Police Department’s bottom‑line spending request for life‑safety and maintenance items but declined to authorize purchase of a leased American‑made drone until the town’s capital process weighs in.
The police chief outlined items needing replacement, including AED batteries that had reached the end of a five‑year lifespan, med bags, ballistic plates and cruiser maintenance. He also described a proposal to lease a drone under a five‑year plan that would include hardware refresh and warranties; the most recent quote for an American‑made unit was described as about $105,000.
Board members urged caution on the drone purchase and said the capital committee should vet the proposal because the drone is a capital asset and the price was substantially higher than earlier estimates. “I don't want to encourage... items that would have been in that budget to be moved to this one just because you've got some capacity,” Chair Kathy said, urging the chief to consult capital. Another member suggested exploring sharing the drone with neighboring towns.
A motion to approve all the chief’s bottom‑line requests except the drone passed; members agreed to strip the drone from this authorization and pursue the capital committee process for the drone separately.
Why it matters: The decision funds necessary equipment that the chief said affects officer safety and operational readiness while deferring a significant capital decision to the appropriate review body. The town remains open to pursuing the drone later, but the board stressed the need for capital review and possible regional coordination.
Next steps: The police department will proceed with replacements for medical equipment and vehicle maintenance; the drone vendor and capital committee will be asked to evaluate procurement options and timing.
