Police Drone, Body Camera Program Expanded Under New $3.7 Million Contract In SMC Town

REDWOOD CITY, CA — Redwood City is doubling down on drones and integrated policing technology after the City Council unanimously approved updates to the police department’s “military equipment” policy and a five‑year amendment to its contract with Axon Enterprise worth up to $3.7 million on April 13.

The agreement renews and upgrades the city’s body‑worn camera program, expands the drone-as-first-responder program, and adds tools for real‑time video integration and airspace monitoring.

Redwood City police reported that in seven months of 2025, department drones flew more than 1,700 missions on 608 incidents, cutting response times by up to 76 percent on some calls.

A Redwood City resident speaking during public comment urged strict oversight and transparency around the growing network of cameras and drones, warning that the risk lies in “the accumulation of data” and calling for investment in “housing, mental health support, youth programs and job development” alongside enforcement technology.

Vicemayor Kaia Eakin supported the technology but urged more strategic planning around fast‑evolving tools and recurring software costs.

“Technology is going at the speed of light,” she said, warning that cities can end up “own[ing] something that’s obsolete before the warranty gets out” and calling for more strategic thinking about leases, upgrades, and long‑term budgeting.

Councilmember Chris Sturken supported the funding but expressed concern over future financial strains, noting that existing budgets only cover about 60 percent of the five-year cost. The remaining expense falls in deficit years. Sturken contrasted this technology spending with the $235,000 annual budget for the city's single embedded clinician, questioning the allocation of limited public safety funds.

Councilmember Diane Howard emphasized the public safety benefits of drones, particularly in reducing dangerous pursuits and large‑scale searches.

“We just don’t have enough police officers to put on every corner of Redwood City,” she said, citing Fourth of July fireworks enforcement.

Police officials said the Axon platform includes encryption, role‑based access controls, and auditing tools, and noted that there were no complaints and no found policy violations related to military‑classified equipment during the past reporting year.

Axon develops weapons and technology products for military, law enforcement and civilians.