{"id":"pasadena:13:2","show":{"slug":"pasadena","title":"Pasadena","site":"https://pasadena.civic.fm"},"meeting":{"id":13,"body":"City Council","date":"2026-10-27","title":"City Council Meeting: October 27, 2026 - Oct 27, 2026","recording":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=25&clip_id=8902","documents":[{"url":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=25&clip_id=8902","kind":"agenda","title":"Agenda"},{"url":"https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2026%20Agendas/Oct_27_26/Agenda.asp","kind":"agenda","title":"Council Agenda"}]},"number":2,"agenda_ref":"5","title":"Police drone-operator training grant ($39,196), approved on consent","what_and_why":"Consent item 5 authorizes the City Manager to execute documents for an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and amends the Police Department's FY2027 operating budget to recognize and appropriate $39,196 (agenda) in the General Fund. Staff said the money would train more police drone (UAS) operators to support SWAT; the item drew questions because the council has a pending discussion about expanding police drone use to 'drone as first responder' (DFR). It passed as part of the consent calendar motion covering all items except item 3. The clerk reported two letters asking staff to clarify the purpose and use of the grant funds.","topics":["surveillance","policing","contracts"],"at":"00:07:50","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=470","outcomes":[{"text":"A motion to approve all consent calendar items except item 3 was made and seconded. Result: passed.","unclear":false,"at":"00:12:24","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=744","result":"passed","tally":null,"votes":null,"no":[],"abstain":[],"recused":[]}],"points":[{"text":"A councilmember said they had contacted the police chief beforehand because they shared public concerns about what the grant money would pay for","at":"00:08:44","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=524","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}},{"text":"A councilmember said they are comfortable with SWAT's use of drones but not interested in expanding to drones as first responder","at":"00:08:44","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=524","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}},{"text":"City staff said SWAT is currently the only unit in the department using tactical drones","at":"00:09:47","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=587","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"City staff said the roughly $39,000 award would train additional personnel to supplement the department's SWAT tactical response","at":"00:09:47","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=587","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"City staff noted that the certification is not limited to SWAT, so trained operators would be certified for either SWAT or first-responder drone use, though the training is currently for SWAT functions","at":"00:09:47","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=587","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"A councilmember asked whether the money could go to other officer training if the council decides not to pursue drones as first responder","at":"00:10:48","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=648","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}},{"text":"City staff said that even without first-responder drones, newly trained operators could take over drone operation from a SWAT officer, freeing that officer to deploy on the tactical scene","at":"00:11:22","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=682","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"City staff expressed hope that the council's discussion continues with openness to the benefits of an aerial response platform for real-time information","at":"00:11:22","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=682","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"A councilmember concluded that accepting the grant would not change the council's pending discussion on drones as first responder","at":"00:12:03","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=723","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}}],"highlights":[{"title":"If the council rejects first-responder drones, where does this money go?","context":"During the consent calendar, a member questions a police department representative about a grant to train more police drone operators, while the council still has a separate discussion pending on using drones as first responders.","speakers":[{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"},{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}],"audio":"https://civicfm-demo-media.t3.tigrisfiles.io/pasadena/highlights/2026-10-30-95cd2ba5.mp3","length_s":61.1,"start":"00:10:56","end":"00:11:57","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8902?view_id=25&entrytime=656","url":"https://pasadena.civic.fm/episodes/2026-10-30/highlights/1"}],"episode":{"title":"Drone training grant, child mental health funds, and a work/live rethink","url":"https://pasadena.civic.fm/episodes/2026-10-30","item_url":"https://pasadena.civic.fm/episodes/2026-10-30?item=m13-2","published_at":"2026-10-30T15:37:03Z","audio":"https://op3.dev/e,pg=43cd7295-7008-5288-a5af-e4f041a7c1e5/civicfm-demo-media.t3.tigrisfiles.io/pasadena/episodes/2026-10-30-2bf34825.mp3","covered":true},"updated_at":"2026-10-30T15:37:03Z","comment":{"email":"correspondence@cityofpasadena.net","form":null}}