Simi Valley votes 5-0 in favor of police drone program

Update: The Simi Valley City Council voted 5-0 Monday to establish the police drone program and buy drones. The council also voted unanimously to purchase a prisoner transport van.

Original story:

Police drones have landed on the agenda for Monday’s Simi Valley City Council meeting.

Members are scheduled to vote on whether to establish a drone program and buy four or five drones, Police Chief Steve Shorts said Thursday.

Estimated cost is $55,000 and includes software, video feed and training, Shorts said. He added the money would come from the city’s general fund.

The Simi Valley Police Department would buy the unmanned aerial vehicles as soon as possible and likely plan them to be operational by the fall, Shorts said. The department already has three officers who are drone pilots, he said.

In the past, Simi Valley police have had to wait for helicopters from the Los Angeles Police Department or the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for aerial views during crimes, Shorts said. The Simi department has infrequently used sheriff's drones for surveillance at public events, he said.

An officer at a crime scene can launch a drone immediately, Shorts said. The units would send live video to the dispatcher and officers at the crime scene to help catch suspects.

The aerial cameras won't be able to provide much help when suspects flee on Highway 118, however. Pilots will have to keep the drone within sight and can’t be in a moving vehicle, the chief said.

Drones could more easily survey traffic collision scenes and events such as fairs, Shorts said, and could help police stakeouts.

Officers will follow procedures to protect residents’ privacy, he added.

The drones could fly at a maximum of 400 feet under Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, said Detective Sgt. Patrick Zayicek. The department is looking into buying DJI Mavic 3 drones, commonly used by law enforcement, he said.

The City Council will also vote Monday on buying a specialized vehicle to transport as many as 13 arrestees to the main jail in Ventura, Shorts said.

The prisoner transport van would allow men and women to ride on the same trip and allow separation of adult and juvenile suspects, according to a city staff report. The vehicle would work better than a patrol car for transporting suspects with physical issues. Cost of the 2024 Ford E-350 transport vehicle won't exceed $147,437, the report said.

The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. in chambers at City Hall, 2929 Tapo Canyon Road.

Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Simi Valley votes 5-0 in favor of police drone program