City Council advances public safety and open communication

The Santa Ana City Council took important steps to strengthen public safety and communication through new technologies and oversight efforts. At their February 3 meeting, the City Council:

• Adopted Bylaws of the Police Oversight Commissionestablishing a clear framework to support consistent, transparent, and effective civilian oversight.
• Approved a Drone Program for Santa Ana Police Department,including the purchase of five drones to enhance public safety operations, such as critical incident response, active pursuits, search and rescue, and enforcement related to illegal fireworks.
• Received a Report on SAPD Using In-Car Camerashighlighting their values as tools to improve transparency, accountability and investigative capabilities.
• Directed Staff to Prepare a Report on SAPD's Response to Last Year's Immigration Protests,supporting community access to information and informed, open discussions. The report is expected back at the April 7 City Council meeting.