Santa Fe, NM (KKOB) – The Santa Fe City Council voted 6-2 Wednesday to approve a $2.2 million contract for a new police drones that will allow SFPD to dispatch drones from various base locations around the city to calls ahead of, or in place of, an officer.
City Councilors Alma Castro and Pat Feghali were the two members who voted against the contract, expressing concerns over the cost of the drone program, as well as increased surveillance and privacy concerns. Interim police chief Ben Valdez, pointed to searches for missing people, crisis situations and other types of 911 calls as some of the potential reasons to put in place the new drone program, calling it a “de-escalation tool” that could lead to “better outcomes” during high-stress situations.
Also during Wednesday’s meeting, the council approved more than $2 million to purchase new vehicles for the police department and five new officer positions.
