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Santa Clara County Civic Gallery Board of Supervisors agenda intelligence

Matter SCC-128993

Consider recommendations relating to Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Public Safety & Criminal Justice Board of Supervisors
3 Documents on file 767 KB · 3 extracted · 3 AI summaries
File
SCC-128993
Type
Unknown
Status
Unknown
Requester
Unknown
Introduced
Unknown
Last synced
15 Jul 2026 · 02:53

The papers

01 170 KB

Report Printout

170 KB Extracted AI Summary
file Unknown sha 7c177d25b0c7 source Open source document ↗
Generated summary AI-assisted

The source text indicates this attachment appears to be a draft document.

This document is a report from the Office of the Sheriff of Santa Clara County regarding an updated Surveillance Use Policy for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). It outlines recommendations for the Board of Supervisors to consider, including adopting a finding that the benefits of the surveillance technology outweigh the costs and approving the revised policy. The report states that there are no direct fiscal implications and highlights the alignment of the revised policy with the Military Equipment Use Policy. It emphasizes the positive impacts on public safety, particularly for children and seniors, and mentions the commitment to protecting civil liberties. The document also notes that the Sheriff’s Office plans to fund UAS purchases through project-specific funding and has not received any complaints regarding UAS flights.

Key points
  • The report is addressed to the Board of Supervisors from Sheriff Robert Jonsen.
  • The subject is the updated Surveillance Use Policy for Unmanned Aerial Systems.
  • Recommendations include adopting a finding on the benefits of surveillance technology and approving the revised policy.
  • There are no direct fiscal implications associated with the approval.
  • The revised policy aligns with the Military Equipment Use Policy and includes enhanced public safety measures.
  • The Sheriff’s Office plans to fund UAS purchases through project-specific funding.
  • The document states a commitment to protecting civil liberties and ensuring public safety.
Limitations
  • The document appears to be a draft as it includes placeholders for dates and lacks finalized details.
  • The fiscal implications section does not specify any potential future costs or funding sources beyond project-specific funding.

Generated for convenience from extracted text using AI. Review the official source document before relying on this summary.

Extracted text preview · 4,220 chars
County of Santa Clara Office of the Sheriff 128993 DATE: May 19, 2026 TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Robert Jonsen, Sheriff SUBJECT: Updated Surveillance Use Policy (Unmanned Aerial Systems) RECOMMENDED ACTION Consider recommendations relating to Unmanned Aerial Systems. Possible action: a. Adopt finding that the benefits of the surveillance technology outweigh the costs pursuant to Section A40-4 of the Santa Clara County Ordinance Code. b. Approve the revised Surveillance Use Policy for Office of the Sheriff - Unmanned Aerial Systems, that has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form and legality. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS There are no direct fiscal implications associated with the approval of this updated Surveillance Use Policy. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION The existing Surveillance Use Policy for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) was approved by the Board of Supervisors in August of 2024. The revised Surveillance Use Policy aligns the use cases with the Military Equipment Use Policy. Changes include the use of UAS in a Drone as First Responder (DFR) capacity, incorporates more scenarios in which a UAS could lead to better public safety outcomes, provide enhanced...
02 369 KB

Office of the Sheriff - Unmanned Aerial System (April 2026)

369 KB Extracted AI Summary
file Unknown sha 6341f3000376 source Open source document ↗
Generated summary AI-assisted

The document outlines the Surveillance Use Policy for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) by the County of Santa Clara Office of the Sheriff. It details the purpose of UAS, which is to enhance public safety operations through aerial observations. The policy specifies authorized and prohibited uses of UAS, data collection and access protocols, data protection measures, retention policies, public access guidelines, third-party data-sharing rules, training requirements, and oversight responsibilities. The document emphasizes compliance with legal standards and the protection of individual privacy rights.

Key points
  • UAS are used for public safety missions, including disaster response, search and rescue, crime scene documentation, and monitoring events.
  • UAS operations must comply with the Fourth Amendment and FAA regulations.
  • Access to UAS data is restricted to authorized personnel and specific investigations.
  • Data retention policies dictate that UAS data must be deleted within specified timeframes unless retained for evidentiary, training, or historical purposes.
  • Public access to UAS data is limited, with certain deployment information made available on the Sheriff's website.
  • Training for UAS operation is mandatory for involved personnel.
  • The Special Enforcement Division Commander oversees compliance with the policy and maintains records of data access.

Generated for convenience from extracted text using AI. Review the official source document before relying on this summary.

Extracted text preview · 15,208 chars
County of Santa Clara Office of the Sheriff Surveillance Use Policy Unmanned Aerial Systems 1. Purpose The purpose of the Unmanned Aerial Systems (“UAS” - commonly referred to as "drones" or "unmanned aircraft systems") is to provide Office of the Sheriff personnel with the ability to make observations from an overhead, aerial position and provide vital updates to assisting first responders in a variety of crucial public safety missions. UAS may collect and store still images, video footage, audio, and location data and be used consistently with the uses authorized by this Policy. UAS technology complements existing public safety technologies, such as the Sheriff STAR 1 helicopter, by providing enhanced deployment abilities, such as accelerated deployment, improved access to hard-to-reach areas, and improved cost efficiency. 2. Authorized and Prohibited Uses The use of UAS shall be limited to Office of the Sheriff personnel authorized in writing by the Office of the Sheriff Administration to use the devices in the course and scope of their employment to support operations of the Office of the Sheriff. UAS shall only be deployed in circumstances and a manner that do not violate...
03 229 KB

Office of the Sheriff - Unmanned Aerial System (August 2024 to April 2026 redline)

229 KB Extracted AI Summary
file Unknown sha dd8fa5fe466d source Open source document ↗
Generated summary AI-assisted

The source text indicates this attachment appears to be a draft document.

The document outlines the Surveillance Use Policy for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) by the Santa Clara County Office of the Sheriff. It details the purpose of UAS, authorized and prohibited uses, data collection, access, protection, retention, public access, third-party data-sharing, and training requirements. The UAS is intended for public safety missions, including emergency responses, disaster management, and crime scene documentation, while ensuring compliance with legal standards and protecting citizens' rights. Prohibited uses include harassment, weaponization, and unauthorized surveillance. Data management protocols are established to ensure security and compliance with legal requirements.

Key points
  • The UAS is used for public safety missions and to support first responders.
  • Authorized uses include emergency responses, disaster management, and crime scene documentation.
  • UAS operations must comply with the Fourth Amendment and FAA regulations.
  • Prohibited uses include harassment, weaponization, and unauthorized surveillance.
  • Data access is restricted to authorized personnel and must comply with legal standards.
  • Data retention policies specify timelines for deletion based on the purpose of the data.
  • Public access to UAS data is limited, with certain deployment information made available for transparency.
Limitations
  • The document appears to be a draft as indicated by the presence of placeholder text and incomplete sections.
  • Some sections are truncated, leading to missing information regarding training and other details.

Generated for convenience from extracted text using AI. Review the official source document before relying on this summary.

Extracted text preview · 20,226 chars
County of Santa Clara Office of the Sheriff Surveillance Use Policy Unmanned Aerial Systems Surveillance Use Policy 1. 1. Purpose The purpose of the small Unmanned Aerial Systems ((“UAS –” - commonly referred to as “"drones”" or “"unmanned aircraft systems”)") is to provide a DeputyOffice of the Sheriff personnel with the ability to make observations from an overhead, aerial position and provide vital updates to assisting first responders in a variety of crucial public safety missions. UAS may collect and store still images, video footage, audio, and location data and be used consistentconsistently with the uses authorized by this Policy. The UAS supplement the technology complements existing public safety value of other technologies (e.g., Sheriff’s, such as the Sheriff STAR 1 helicopter), by providing the enhanced deployment abilities, such as accelerated deployment, improved access to hard-to-reach areas, and improved cost efficiency. This Policy establishes protocols for UAS deployment and approved uses. If the Sheriff’s Office seeks to acquire UAS with material surveillance enhancements and/or to use for a purpose, in a manner, or in a location not approved by the Board in...