Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua and the Santa Ana Police Department will give residents a close look at the city’s new Drone as First Responder (DFR) program on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The free Coffee with the Mayor event runs from 10 a.m. to noon in the SAPD Community Room at 60 Civic Center Plaza.
New Santa Ana’s event notice says no appointment is required and coffee and pastries will be available while supplies last. Residents can see the equipment, watch a live demonstration, and question the mayor and police leadership about privacy and civil liberties.
That is better than launching a police drone program with a press release and a stock photo. Santa Ana is putting the equipment in front of the public. The harder test is whether the city gives equally direct answers about flight logs, audits, data requests, and enforcement of its written limits.
Santa Ana Approved Five Police Drones
The Santa Ana City Council approved a three-year DFR contract worth no more than $682,900 on February 3, 2026. State and local law-enforcement grants fund the program, which includes five aircraft and runs through February 2029…