The Stockton City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday to approve a $3.15 million expansion of its contract with Flock Safety, adding a police drone response system, despite more than an hour of public opposition centered on privacy, immigration enforcement and government surveillance.
The vote authorizes an amendment to the city’s agreement with Flock Group Inc., allowing the addition of a “Drone as First Responder” platform and extending the contract through April 14, 2031. The amendment increases the contract by $3.15 million, bringing its total potential value to more than $5.4 million over five years.
Police officials said the drones would be stationed at multiple locations across the city and could cover more than 75% of Stockton, with response times ranging from about 30 seconds to four minutes…