Residents urge council to hold public forum on police drone program after item pulled from agenda
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Summary
During public comment on Oct. 21 residents urged transparency, public input and oversight for a proposed Eureka Police Department drone program; council previously pulled item G6 for further research by APD.
EUREKA, Calif. — Several residents used the public-comment period at the Oct. 21 Eureka City Council meeting to press elected officials for transparency and public hearings before the city proceeds with a police drone program.
City staff had removed one agenda item (G6) from consideration, and multiple speakers thanked the council for pausing the matter and asked for a town-hall-style discussion. Speakers described privacy concerns, the risk of surveillance being used against protesters and unhoused people, and worries about mission creep if police obtain aerial-capable drones or weaponized attachments.
A recurring request was that the council and the police department hold community meetings that clearly explain the program’s intended purposes and limits. One speaker, who identified themself as Pat, told the council they opposed any surveillance drones and asked for public discussion: “I don't wanna be surveilled, and I'm sure nobody else wants to be surveilled,” the speaker said. Another speaker described fear that local policing tools can be co-opted for broader surveillance: “They will use the drones to monitor, arrest, and intimidate the homeless and people just trying to live,” the speaker said.
Why this matters
Speakers argued that the public should understand whether drones would be used for emergency response (search and rescue) or for routine law-enforcement surveillance and asked for binding limits and civilian oversight. Several commenters connected local proposals to statewide and national debates about policing, privacy and the use of unmanned aerial systems.
Council response and procedural status
At the start of the public-comment period staff and the mayor noted that item G6 had been pulled from the agenda so that APD could further research the issue. Council members did not take policy action on drones at the meeting; public comment closed and the meeting continued to other agenda items.
Ending
Speakers requested formal town halls and promised to return to future council meetings if the city brings the drone item back. City staff indicated they will continue research and coordinate any future community engagement as needed.