|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The City Council approved several new military equipment purchases for the Redwood City Police Department following a review and vote at its Tuesday, April 14 meeting.
The authorization and purchases passed with a 6-1 vote, with Vice Mayor Espinoza-Garnica as the lone dissenter.
The purchase includes drones, hyperspikes, a Tactical 4-Shot Launcher, and a kinetic breaching tool (KTB). According to a staff report, the total cost of the equipment, including training costs, is just over $115,250.
The department is seeking to purchase six exterior drones and two interior drones, with a cost listed at $87,000, including training and licensing. The Hyperspike comes with a price tag of $3,750, while the five 40mm Tactical 4-shot launchers cost approximately $9,500. The KTB has a price tag of $15,000.
A KTB is typically used to open closed doors that are difficult to open, while a hyper-spike acoustic tool can issue warnings over long distances. According to police, the less-lethal 4-round 40 mm launchers are used to de-escalate situations without using more lethal weapons.
According to the staff report, the cost of maintaining the drones has yet to be determined.
Last August, the RCPD reported using drones for unapproved reasons when officers responded to a double shooting at Red Morton Park
Although the RCPD has used drones and is legally allowed to do so under Assembly Bill 481, it does not currently own any drones. Instead, it relies on four drones operated by either the San Mateo County Emergency Services Bureau or the Redwood City Fire Department.
The department has used drones before, such as on May 18 of last year, when they reported using a San Bruno Police Department drone to search for a wanted suspect with multiple warrants. The department said that the Redwood City Fire Department would not allow the usage since the issue was not a threat to life and their other go-to, the sheriff’s office, did not have a drone operator on hand.
“Despite the potential for community concerns, there were no complaints related to the Redwood City Police Department’s use of military equipment during the reporting period,” said Sgt. Jesse Castro at the meeting.
The staff report on the purchase said no complaints regarding the recommendations were made.
Although there were mixed views on public comments regarding the possibility of drones interfering with privacy laws, a majority were in favor.
“I strongly believe that investing in this advanced communication tool will further strengthen our city’s ability to respond effectively to critical incidents and ensure the safety and well-being of our residents,” said Police Sergeant Association member and Redwood City Police Lt. Diana Villegas.
Others, many of them police officers, viewed the purchase of drones as uncontroversial and a modern tool.
Espinoza-Garnica hoped for more information on which communities were most likely to have the equipment used, seeking to understand if minority neighborhoods experienced engagement by SWAT teams more than others.
“There was an overall, overarching concern about policing in America that disproportionately affects communities of color,” Espiniza-Garnica said.
Castro responded that officers were trained to explain why SWAT teams were called in.
Communities with the highest crime rate should receive the most police surveillance. Our families and friends must be safe, going to work and school. Shame on any member of Local Government who would inhibit crime prevention!