While police officers made headlines last summer for firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protestors in Orange County, there’s another piece of military equipment they use much more that receives less attention – drones.
At least three of the county’s largest law enforcement offices are ratcheting up their spending and use of drones with little public discussion, according to annual disclosures released highlighting how they used military equipment over the past year.
It comes as state officials report a drop in homicide, car thefts, violent crime, property crime and robbery since 2019 across the Golden State…