The San Angelo City Council will consider a resolution to support the use of drone technology as a tool to assist law enforcement in addressing vehicle-related offenses.
This comes as a grant from the Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority. The funds would support efforts to combat motor vehicle theft and catalytic converter crimes through the Catalytic Converter Theft Apprehension Program.
If awarded, the grant would fund the addition of a drone to the San Angelo Police Department’s FLOCK system, which currently uses license plate reader (LPR) cameras to identify stolen vehicles and track suspects. The drone would operate in coordination with the Narcotics Task Force and enhance surveillance capabilities by providing real-time aerial support during active incidents.
According to Flock Safety, the drone system can respond to calls in approximately 85 seconds, reduce response times by 71 percent, and resolve 20 percent of calls without requiring patrol officer deployment. The drone also contributes to an 89-percent increase in identifying suspects and vehicles.
The grant would cover $133,962 of the cost, with the City responsible for a required 20 percent match totaling $26,793. Equipment costs are estimated at $125,000, and the remainder of the funds would support required travel to grant presentations and quarterly oversight meetings.
PD Seeks Support for Equipment Upgrades and Overdose Prevention Supplies
The council will also receive a report on the use of $62,213.20 in state and local seizure funds for the Police Department.
The funds support upgrades to IT infrastructure, surveillance systems, office furnishings for a new Narcotics Task Force facility, DNA testing of shell casings, and the purchase of body armor. These expenditures fall within guidelines set by Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which governs the use of seized assets obtained through forfeiture proceedings.
Additionally, the Police Department is requesting approval to accept a donation of 240 units of Narcan (Naloxone) from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The medication, valued at approximately $10,800, was provided to the DPS by the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of a broader opioid overdose prevention initiative. Narcan is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses and will be distributed to patrol officers.
Groundwater Monitoring and Utility Easement Up for Approval
Council will consider approving a renewed access agreement with the United States government to allow continued groundwater monitoring on city right-of-way and city-owned property near Goodfellow Air Force Base.
The agreement supports an ongoing environmental effort that began in 2022 when six monitoring wells and two bore sample sites were installed to test groundwater quality.
Also on the agenda is a proposal to approve a miscellaneous pipeline easement in the amount of $2,350. The easement, requested from the Texas General Land Office, would allow the city to construct and maintain a 20-inch casing housing a 12-inch waterline under the North Concho River near Edmund Boulevard / West 29th Street.
The project is part of the city’s scheduled FY 2025 utility improvements. The existing 8-inch asbestos cement water main has reached the end of its service life and will be replaced.
The San Angelo City Council will hold a regular meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the McNease Convention Center South Meeting Room, 501 Rio Concho Drive. The meeting is open to the public.
