The San Francisco Police Department has confirmed in writing that they acquired 6 DJI drones in May of 2024, without requesting Board of Supervisors authorization or getting an approved use policy as required by State Law (AB 481-2021-Chiu).
We are not surprised as language in Proposition E, as we pointed out earlier this year, purported to authorize drone usage outside the state’s required military equipment procurement process. As we stated, (and informed the City) – “A local ballot intitiative cannot alter state law when the state law governs charter counties by statute and AB 481 does so”.
We’re not sure why SFPD and City Attorney Chiu, who authored AB 481 when in the Assembly, want to waste taxpayer money getting a judge to order them to follow state law.