Title
Receive a report from the Sheriff’s Office
Support the Sheriff’s Office spending of $3,034,343 over 92 months to acquire Drones from Axon Enterprises, Inc.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Budget Committee:
Support the Sheriff’s Office spending of $3,034,343 over 92 months to acquire Drones from Axon Enterprises, Inc.
SUMMARY:
The Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement for Axon Enterprises, Inc. on June 25, 2024. This quote adds Axon Drones to the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement. The vendor is honoring pricing pursuant to a separate Sourcewell Contract #101223-AXN to which the County of Monterey is not a signatory. The Sheriff’s Office will receive money from the Sheriff’s Advisory Committee (SAC) and will be going to the BOS in October for approval and the remaining balance will be paid from the asset forfeiture account.
DISCUSSION:
The Sheriff’s Office established its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program in 2016 with the purchase of commercially available DJI drones, which at the time could be purchased through consumer retailers. These aircraft provided the Sheriff’s Office with an initial UAS capability. However, a formal lifecycle or replacement program was never established.
As the original aircraft became obsolete, reached the end of their useful life, or were damaged beyond repair, they were generally not replaced. In 2024, the Sheriff’s Office transitioned away from DJI platforms in response to federal procurement and cybersecurity requirements associated with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Department subsequently moved toward U.S. manufactured Skydio UAS platforms that are NDAA compliant, with qualifying Skydio systems also appearing on the Department of Defense Blue UAS Cleared List.
The Sheriff’s Office currently maintains three operational drones; two Skydio X10 aircraft that are approaching the end of their anticipated useful service life, a...
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