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Santa Ana police demonstrate drones, chief says they aid safety and search-and-rescue
Summary
Police Chief Robert Rodriguez demonstrated a department drone at the State of the City and said the devices help find missing people and provide real-time information; he also said operational guardrails limit when cameras record.
Police Chief Robert Rodriguez showed a department drone during the event and described its practical uses for public safety, including search-and-rescue and evidence-gathering to improve officer safety. "This is policing in the future," he said, adding that drones had helped locate a lost elderly person with Alzheimer's and reunite children with families. The chief said the department acquired several drones and that their use is paired with other technology such as license-plate readers and body-worn cameras.
When asked about surveillance concerns the chief emphasized operational limits, saying drones are used "when there's a call for service" and that cameras are activated only over a call; he said the department operates "within strict guidelines" to avoid indiscriminate surveillance. The remarks were presented as the department's policy description; independent oversight or written policy documents were referenced only in general terms during the talk.
