Oceanside Police Launch Drone First Responder Program

The Oceanside Police Department has launched a 13-month pilot program deploying drones as first responders to emergency calls, aiming to reduce response times from about five minutes to just 60-90 seconds. Funded by a $264,816 state grant, the drones can be quickly launched from City Hall and reach scenes faster than officers, providing live video feeds to give officers real-time situational awareness before arrival. The drone program operates mainly in downtown Oceanside from Wednesday through Saturday and has already assisted in apprehending suspects and responding to various emergencies, including fires. Four FAA-certified police officers operate the drones, which fly beyond visual line of sight under approved regulations, representing a significant operational shift. To ensure transparency, Oceanside provides a public flight log and dashboard for residents to monitor drone activity. This initiative follows similar programs in other Southern California cities and comes amid ongoing legal debates over police drone surveillance and public records access.