{"items":[{"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}},{"id":"pasadena:3:7","show":{"slug":"pasadena","title":"Pasadena","site":"https://pasadena.civic.fm"},"meeting":{"id":3,"body":"City Council","date":"2026-09-29","title":"City Council Meeting: September 29, 2026 - Sep 29, 2026","recording":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=25&clip_id=8829","documents":[{"url":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=25&clip_id=8829","kind":"agenda","title":"Agenda"}]},"number":7,"agenda_ref":"13","title":"Military equipment annual report and a new police drone policy","what_and_why":"State law requires an annual report on the police department's military-style equipment. The council approved the report, renewed the existing equipment, and authorized the SWAT team to use energy-assisted breaching tools, and asked police to report back on training for large demonstrations. A new drone policy was split off: after a long debate over plans to test drones as first responders, the council approved it 7 to 1 for SWAT use only, with any testing of new drone systems done outside the city and more review before anything is bought.","topics":["surveillance","policing"],"at":"01:10:05","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=4205","outcomes":[{"text":"A councilmember moved to accept the report with thanks, approving recommendations 1 through 3, 5, and 6, and to ask the police department to report back to the police oversight commission and the Public Safety Committee on its operational training for this equipment; it was seconded. Result: passed.","unclear":false,"at":"01:29:37","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=5377","result":"passed","tally":null,"votes":null,"no":[],"abstain":[],"recused":[]},{"text":"A councilmember moved to approve recommendation 4, the drone policy, as written. Result: failed.","unclear":false,"at":"02:10:33","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=7833","result":"failed","tally":null,"votes":null,"no":[],"abstain":[],"recused":[]},{"text":"Jason Lyon (Councilmember, District 7) moved to approve recommendation 4, the drone policy, for SWAT operations only, with any testing done off-site and outside the city and further review through the police oversight commission; Tyron Hampton (Councilmember, District 1) seconded. Result: passed, 7-1. No: a councilmember.","unclear":false,"at":"02:14:37","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=8077","result":"passed","tally":"7-1","votes":{"yes":7,"no":1},"no":[{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}],"abstain":[],"recused":[]}],"points":[{"text":"Jess Rivas (Councilmember, District 5; Vice Mayor) said the Public Safety Committee recommended approval, but declined to support expanding drone use beyond SWAT","at":"01:11:30","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=4290","speaker":{"name":"Jess Rivas","role":"Councilmember, District 5; Vice Mayor"}},{"text":"A councilmember asked the police department to report back on how officers are trained to use this equipment at large or volatile demonstrations","at":"01:23:15","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=4995","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}},{"text":"Jess Rivas (Councilmember, District 5; Vice Mayor) said there's no evidence yet that drones as first responders improve crime clearance, reduce force, or save money, and declined to support setting the city on that path","at":"01:38:24","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=5904","speaker":{"name":"Jess Rivas","role":"Councilmember, District 5; Vice Mayor"}},{"text":"A councilmember warned about drone vendors, saying a company like Flock could come to know everything about everybody","at":"01:42:50","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=6170","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}},{"text":"City staff said the policy would guide one-day trials of systems from Flock, Brinc, and Skydio, with results and costs coming back to the council in January before any purchase","at":"01:58:17","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=7097","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"A councilmember objected to borrowing drones and using them in the community before the council decides, calling it putting the cart before the horse","at":"02:00:37","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=7237","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}},{"text":"City staff said approving the policy lets the SWAT team use drones for limited tactical situations while testing waits","at":"02:09:23","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=7763","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"A councilmember proposed approving the policy for SWAT use only, with any testing done off-site and outside the city","at":"02:09:41","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=7781","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}}],"highlights":[{"title":"A member balks at testing police drones on residents","context":"During the debate on a new police drone policy, police staff have just described testing vendors' drones before a contract comes back to council in January, and a member who offered to move the policy, taking that to mean borrowing drones and using them in the city, says that isn't what he understood.","speakers":[{"name":null,"role":"a councilmember"}],"audio":"https://civicfm-demo-media.t3.tigrisfiles.io/pasadena/highlights/2026-10-02-a83d276b.mp3","length_s":50.8,"start":"01:59:48","end":"02:00:39","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8829?view_id=25&entrytime=7188","url":"https://pasadena.civic.fm/episodes/2026-10-02/highlights/3"}],"episode":{"title":"A Black Legacy District for North Fair Oaks, and drones for SWAT only","url":"https://pasadena.civic.fm/episodes/2026-10-02","item_url":"https://pasadena.civic.fm/episodes/2026-10-02?item=m3-7","published_at":"2026-10-02T13:01:19Z","audio":"https://op3.dev/e,pg=43cd7295-7008-5288-a5af-e4f041a7c1e5/civicfm-demo-media.t3.tigrisfiles.io/pasadena/episodes/2026-10-02-4696247c.mp3","covered":true},"updated_at":"2026-10-24T08:05:56Z","comment":{"email":"correspondence@cityofpasadena.net","form":null}},{"id":"pasadena:14:1","show":{"slug":"pasadena","title":"Pasadena","site":"https://pasadena.civic.fm"},"meeting":{"id":14,"body":"Finance Committee","date":"2026-10-27","title":"Finance Committee Meeting: October 27, 2026 - Oct 27, 2026","recording":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=33&clip_id=8901","documents":[{"url":"https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2026-10-27-Finance-Committee-Agenda-Revised.pdf","kind":"agenda","title":"2026-10-27 Finance Committee Agenda - Revised"},{"url":"https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2026-10-27-Finance-Committee-Agenda.pdf","kind":"agenda","title":"2026-10-27 Finance Committee Agenda"}]},"number":1,"agenda_ref":"1","title":"Federal justice grant for police drone operator training","what_and_why":"The committee was asked to let the City Manager accept a U.S. Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) of $39,196 and add it to the Police Department's fiscal year 2027 operating budget in the General Fund. Per the staff report, the money pays for training and certification of more unmanned aircraft system (drone) operators; right now the SWAT team is the only police unit approved to fly drones. No city matching funds are required, and the grant period runs October 1, 2024 to October 1, 2028 (agenda).","topics":["surveillance","policing","contracts"],"at":"00:13:11","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8901?view_id=33&entrytime=791","outcomes":[{"text":"A councilmember moved to approve the recommended actions: accept the JAG grant and amend the Police Department's FY 2027 operating budget by $39,196. The seconder isn't clear. Tyron Hampton (Councilmember, District 1) was absent. Result: passed, without objection.","unclear":false,"at":"00:17:28","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8901?view_id=33&entrytime=1048","result":"passed","tally":"without objection","votes":null,"no":[],"abstain":[],"recused":[]}],"points":[{"text":"City staff presented the request to accept and appropriate the grant to train and certify unmanned aircraft system operators","at":"00:13:57","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8901?view_id=33&entrytime=837","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"City staff explained that training more people means someone else can fly the drone for SWAT operations when a trained SWAT operator isn't available","at":"00:16:08","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8901?view_id=33&entrytime=968","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}},{"text":"City staff said the grant covers training and certification and requires no matching funds","at":"00:16:08","link":"https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/8901?view_id=33&entrytime=968","speaker":{"name":null,"role":"city staff"}}],"highlights":[],"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=m14-1","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":"gacevedo@cityofpasadena.net","form":null}}],"total":3,"next":null}