Six drones stationed across three Riverside locations could provide police with live aerial information during emergencies under a proposal backed by a $1 million federal grant.
Police say the proposed Drone-as-a-First-Responder program would help officers respond to missing people, traffic incidents, violent and property crimes, natural disasters and other emergencies.
The City Council accepted the U.S. Department of Justice grant on its consent calendar Oct. 20. The projects and equipment purchases will require further council approval before moving forward.
The drones would connect with the Police Department’s existing Real-Time Information Center, which brings together feeds from public safety cameras and other authorized technologies. The department also plans to use part of the grant to give that operation a centralized workspace at the Lincoln Avenue police station.
According to the staff report, police expect the projects to improve coordination among public safety agencies and help protect officers and residents during emergency responses.
The council approved the information center in July 2024, originally calling it the Real-Time Crime Center, and authorized the purchase of FususONE software from Axon Enterprise Inc.
Authorized personnel currently use that software at multiple locations throughout the Police Department.
Police Detective Steven Espinosa said the information center does not function as a data center and access is limited to authorized personnel.
Espinosa said the department expects minimal use of artificial intelligence for the drone program and intelligence center, though he noted, “The use of AI is still TBD.”
He did not specify what tasks AI might perform or whether it would require additional servers, storage or computing infrastructure.
When asked how residents’ privacy would be protected, Espinosa said the projects would comply with state law and rules governing the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, which allows authorized agencies to exchange law enforcement information. He also cited Senate Bill 34, which regulates the security, use and sharing of automated license plate reader data, and Senate Bill 54, which limits state and local law enforcement assistance with federal immigration enforcement, with specified exceptions. His response did not detail specific storage or sharing practices.
The department plans to present detailed proposals to the Safety, Wellness and Youth Committee in November before returning to the City Council for approval. Espinosa confirmed the plans would go before the public safety committee for review, though his response did not specify whether the council's AI committee would also review them.
The grant requires no local matching funds, though it may not cover the projects’ full costs. Staff said additional funding could be needed, with details becoming clearer once vendors are selected through the purchasing process.
The federal government awarded the grant Sept. 25. Its funding period ends Jan. 31, 2028.
