The Pasadena City Council voted 7-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to approve a police drone policy but limited flights to SWAT operations only, rejecting the department's bid for citywide use and banning vendor testing inside city limits.

The department had originally sought authorization to expand drone operations to public safety calls across Pasadena. Council members pulled that back after learning mid-debate that officers planned to let three drone companies respond to real calls from the police station.

Councilmember Jason Lyon made the narrowing motion. Councilmember Tyron Hampton seconded it. Vice Mayor Jess Rivas, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, cast the lone no vote.

The approved measure, Police Department Policy 622, replaces what Lt. Anthony Russo described as a single paragraph in the old SWAT manual that allowed only indoor flights. It was one of six items tied to the department's annual military equipment report required by state law. The council approved the other five without objection, including authorization for SWAT to use explosive breaching, Pasadena Now reported.

The debate shifted when Russo told the council that three vendors, Flock, Brink and Skydio, would each bring a drone system for a one-day evaluation responding to live calls in real-world conditions. Drones would launch from the police station.

Councilmember Steve Madison said the testing plan was not what the Public Safety Committee had been told and that using vendor drones on residents put the cart before the horse. His proposal to allow research but block use on residents until the council approved it drew no second.

Russo offered to pull back, saying the department could evaluate technology offsite and that Policy 622 was still needed for SWAT. He recalled a situation in which a SWAT team lacked a drone to see inside a building and a person nearly lost their life. He gave no date or details.

Russo also cited an August 2026 peer-reviewed study published in the American Journal of Criminal Justice that found drones reached 73 percent of 650 calls before an officer did.

Lyon's approved motion limits operational flights to SWAT, requires all vendor testing outside Pasadena, directs the department to gather data from other cities and return to the council, and continues work with the Community Police Oversight Commission (CPOC). A separate recommendation approved the same night requires council sign-off before the department buys drones beyond scheduled replacements.

Rivas said she supports SWAT drone use but knows of no peer-reviewed studies showing expanded programs improve outcomes. She cited privacy concerns and the department's own cost estimate of $200,000 to $400,000 for a broader program.

Councilmember Rick Cole raised concerns about the vendors. He described Flock as an $8 billion venture-backed company whose leaders, he said, have spoken about moving past democracy. Cole said he found the information using AI on his phone during the meeting.

City Clerk Mark Jomsky's office reported 22 letters opposing or raising concerns about the drone and breaching recommendations. The department currently operates four SWAT drones and a tactical ground robot, with equipment costs totaling about $473,614 during the July 2025 through June 2026 reporting period.

Russo said a community meeting at Washington Park is planned but gave no date. No timeline was set for the department's return to the council with expanded drone data.