Oro Valley Police are preparing to expand their use of drones through a new program aimed at improving response times, but the plan is already raising questions about privacy and surveillance.
The one-year, $146,000 program — funded through a state public safety grant — would bring four remotely operated drones to the department through a contract with Flock Safety.
Police say the goal is to respond faster to emergencies, including missing person cases and active calls. The department has used drones since 2017, but this new “drone as first responder” model would allow drones to launch remotely — in some cases arriving before officers…