Memo

Police Department 
 
 
12401 W. Cinnabar Ave., El Mirage 85335 
 
 
623-500-3000 ; Fax 623-500-3019 
 
 
TDD 623-933-3258; www.elmirageaz.gov 
 
 
MEMORANDUM 
 
TO: Paul Marzocca, Police Chief              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FROM: Tim Mason, Assistant Chief       
 
 
 
SUBJECT: EL Mirage Police Department Real Time Information Center 
 
 
 
 
DATE: February 17, 2026  
 
PURPOSE 
This executive summary requests approval for the El Mirage Police Department (EMPD) 
to:  
 
1. Renew and expand its existing Flock Safety contract to include a Drone as a First 
Responder (DFR) program and FlockOS Premium suite 
2. Establish a Real Time Information Center (RTIC) that integrates the 
Department's existing and proposed public safety technologies into a unified 
operational platform. This investment will enhance officer safety, improve public 
safety outcomes, and multiply the effectiveness of EMPD's 64 sworn officers 
across all ranks. 
 
BACKGROUND & CURRENT OPERATIONS 
The El Mirage Police Department currently operates one of Arizona's most advanced 
integrated sensor networks, comprising 233 active Raven audio detection devices and 
29 Falcon License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras. These systems are operated 
under an existing Flock Safety contract and have proven their value in active 
investigations, case clearances, and real-time situational awareness. 
 
As of February 2026, the EMPD is currently in Year 3 of a 60-month term under Invoice 
INV-84866, with an annual billing of $178,705.50. The Department now has the 
opportunity to renew and significantly expand its capabilities through one of two 
proposed Flock Safety renewal packages – a decision that should be made in 
coordination with the City Manager's office. 
 
EMPD's sworn personnel breakdown underscores the critical need for technology 
as a force multiplier: 
 
• Total Sworn Officers: 64, including command and executive staff

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• This staffing level requires every officer to be maximally effective on every shift 
• A DFR program and RTIC directly address this challenge by giving officers 
actionable intelligence before and during incidents 
 
CURRENT INVOICE SUMMARY (INV-84866) 
 
The current invoice reflects EMPD's existing Flock Safety footprint as of 
January 2026: 
 
 
 
 
PROPOSED CONTRACT OPTIONS & COST ANALYSIS 
Flock Safety has presented two renewal quotes for a new 36-month term (July 7, 2026– 
July 7, 2029). Both options include the full existing hardware suite at no additional 
recurring cost. The difference between them is the addition of the FlockOS Premium 
platform, FreeForm AI search, Community Partnership Video Cameras, Video 
Integration Gateways, and critically – the Drone as a First Responder system.

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Note: Both quotes reflect $104,685.62 in discounts applied by Flock Safety.  
 
DRONE AS A FIRST RESPONDER (DFR): CAPABILITY & JUSTIFICATION 
 
WHAT IS A DFR PROGRAM? 
A Drone as First Responder (DFR) program deploys pre-positioned, remotely operated 
unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that launch automatically or on-command in response 
to calls for service – often arriving on scene in 60 to 90 seconds, well ahead of the first 
patrol unit. Pioneered by the Chula Vista (CA) Police Department in 2018 and now 
adopted by dozens of agencies nationally, DFR technology provides immediate aerial 
situational awareness to dispatchers, supervisors, and responding officers. 
 
DFR programs deliver measurable benefits:  
 
• Arrive on scene 2–4 minutes faster than patrol officers on average 
• Provide live aerial video to dispatchers and officers enroute  
• Enable de-escalation by allowing time for a measured, informed response 
• Reduce officer and public risk by assessing threats before officers arrive 
• Extend patrol coverage without adding sworn personnel 
• Establish a scene perimeter and track fleeing suspects in real time 
• Support fire and EMS with scene intelligence during structure fires and medical 
emergencies 
 
THE FLOCK DFR SYSTEM: M4TD DRONE + DOCK 3 
 
The proposed Flock DFR system (Flock DFR – M4TD + Dock 3) is a fully integrated, 
cloud-hosted Drone as First Responder solution. Each system includes the M4D series 
drone, high-definition camera, batteries, and a Dock 3 contact-charging station. The 
drone returns to its dock automatically, recharges, and is ready for the next deployment 
with no manual intervention required. Flock's platform also provides remote piloting 
capability, air traffic awareness compliance, spectator view for community engagement, 
mobile application access, automated flight logging, and mission reporting.  
 
Critical services bundled with each DFR system include: 
 
• FAA regulatory services and airspace authorization management 
• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) development 
• Initial and recurring pilot and dispatcher training 
• Ongoing Flock technical support

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The proposed contract includes two (2) DFR systems, providing redundancy and 
the ability to cover opposite ends of the city simultaneously or in sequence. 
 
DFR AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR 64 SWORN OFFICERS 
 
With 64 sworn officers, including command and executive staff – a number that must 
cover patrol, investigations, administration, and specialized assignments across 24-hour 
operations – any given shift may have fewer than 10 to 15 officers available for field 
response. In this context, a DFR is not a luxury but a strategic necessity. Each drone 
system effectively extends coverage equivalent to multiple officers during the critical 
initial minutes of an incident. 
 
A DFR directly multiplies the capability of EMPD's current staffing by: 
 
• Providing instant aerial coverage of any location in the city within 90 seconds of 
dispatch 
• Giving officers en route real-time situational awareness before arrival, allowing 
them to approach safely and tactically 
• Reducing the number of officers required to safely manage a scene by providing 
command with a live overhead view  
• Assisting investigations immediately after incidents by preserving aerial scene 
documentation 
• Serving as a visible deterrent in high-crime corridors and during community 
events 
 
RECENT OPERATIONAL CASE STUDY: HOW DFR WOULD HAVE ENHANCED/ 
EMPD REPORT #E25060554 
 
WHAT HAPPENED 
In the early morning hours of June 2025, EMPD's Raven gunshot detection system 
registered multiple gunshots and generated an immediate alert. As officers began 
responding, multiple community members independently called 911 to report the shots 
fired – confirming the Raven alert. Officers arrived on scene to find a victim and a 
vehicle bearing multiple gunshot impacts. The investigation was lengthy, requiring 
approximately 12 hours of active work before suspect Devon White could be identified 
and arrested. 
 
White subsequently pleaded guilty to Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon in 
January of this year and was sentenced to 4.5 years in the Arizona Department of 
Corrections. Additionally, two prior probation sentences were revoked as a result of this 
arrest, resulting in an additional 3.5 years in DOC – totaling 8 years of incarceration for 
a repeat offender.

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HOW A DFR COULD HAVE CHANGED THE OUTCOME 
 
This case represents a near-ideal illustration of the value a DFR program would provide. 
Had a DFR been operational, the following improvements to officer safety, investigation, 
and public safety would likely have occurred: 
 
• Immediate Scene Intelligence: Within seconds of the Raven alert, the DFR would 
have been airborne and enroute, arriving at the shooting scene before or 
simultaneous with the first patrol unit – providing live aerial video of the scene, 
including the victim's location and any fleeing vehicles. 
• Officer Safety Enhancement: Officers could have approached with a full 
overhead view of the area, identifying whether the suspect remained on scene, 
any additional threats, and the precise location and condition of the victim – 
rather than arriving blind into an active crime scene. 
• Suspect Identification and Pursuit: The DFR's camera would have captured 
vehicles and individuals in the immediate area during the critical first minutes 
following the shooting. This footage could have identified Devon White's vehicle 
or his departure from the scene – potentially reducing the 12-hour investigation to 
a matter of hours. 
• Evidence Preservation: Aerial video documentation of the scene immediately 
after the shooting would have preserved the positions of shell casings, the victim, 
the damaged vehicle, and any witnesses – providing powerful evidentiary support 
for prosecution. 
• Reduced Community Trauma: Faster apprehension of the suspect, supported by 
aerial tracking, would have reduced the time between the crime and arrest, 
minimizing fear in the affected neighborhood.  
• De-escalation Potential: Had the suspect been identified on scene and observed 
via aerial video, officers could have established a perimeter and communicated 
with the subject from a position of safety – a de-escalation benefit that protects 
both officers and suspects. 
 
REAL TIME INFORMATION CENTER (RTIC): INTEGRATION & JUSTIFICATION 
 
WHAT IS A RTIC? 
 
A Real Time Information Center (RTIC) is a dedicated space within the EMPD where 
trained analysts and dispatchers integrate data from multiple technology platforms to 
provide officers, supervisors, and command staff with real-time situational awareness. 
RTICs have proven highly effective in agencies across the country, enabling faster 
responses, better resource deployment, and improved case clearances.

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EMPD'S PROPOSED RTIC: THE FLOCK SAFETY ECOSYSTEM 
 
The EMPD's RTIC would bring together the full suite of Flock Safety technologies into a 
single unified operational platform – FlockOS Premium – without requiring the City to 
build or maintain complex internal infrastructure. All Flock systems are hosted and 
managed by Flock Safety, meaning EMPD can operate a sophisticated, enterprise-
grade RTIC with minimal capital infrastructure investment. 
 
The RTIC would integrate the following systems: 
 
FLOCK SAFETY FALCON (LPR)  
Real-time license plate reads from 30 cameras city-wide feed into FlockOS map 
interface. Analysts can cross-reference stolen vehicles, warrants, and NCIC/NCMEC 
alerts instantly, alerting officers in the field. 
 
FLOCK RAVEN (GUNSHOT DETECTION) 
Gunshot alerts arrive in the RTIC in real time, triggering DFR deployment and officer 
dispatch simultaneously. Analysts can classify alerts (confirmed shots, fireworks, 
construction) and update the field within seconds, as documented in EMPD's January 
2026 report. 
 
FLOCK911 
RTIC analysts see live 911 call data directly within FlockOS, eliminating the need to 
monitor a separate CAD screen. Calls for service, locations, and actionable intelligence 
are displayed side-by-side, enabling faster and more accurate resource deployment. 
 
FLOCKOS PREMIUM 
The command platform integrates all Flock data streams into a single ESRI-based map 
interface. FlockOS Premium adds a full-scale crime operations center capability, 
including CAD connection, AVL (officer locations), body camera live location, drone 
integration, real-time traffic overlay, and multi-agency data sharing. 
 
FLOCK DFR 
Drones are deployed from the RTIC or automatically on Raven alerts. RTIC analysts 
stream live aerial video to the operational display, briefing responding officers in real 
time and documenting scenes for evidentiary use. 
 
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CAMERAS (10) + VIDEO INTEGRATION GATEWAY 
Ten community-partnered video cameras are integrated through Flock's Video 
Integration Gateway (supporting up to 16 streams per unit), expanding EMPD's fixed 
camera coverage without the cost of city-owned infrastructure. Feeds are accessible in 
the RTIC.

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FREEFORM AI SEARCH  
AI-powered natural language search across LPR images and video footage. RTIC 
analysts can search across all systems simultaneously using plain language queries – 
for example, "blue pickup truck near Elm and Main between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM" – 
with built-in safeguards ensuring ethical use.  
 
INFRASTRUCTURE COST ADVANTAGE: CLOUD-HOSTED BY FLOCK SAFETY 
A critical financial consideration for the City is that the entire Flock Safety ecosystem – 
including the DFR program, FlockOS Premium, Flock911, Raven, and all LPR data – is 
hosted, maintained, and updated by Flock Safety at no additional infrastructure cost to 
the EMPD. This is a significant departure from traditional law enforcement technology 
deployments.  
 
Specifically, the City is NOT required to: 
 
• Build or maintain server infrastructure to store LPR data, audio detection data, or 
video footage 
• Hire dedicated IT staff to maintain the Flock platform – Flock provides a 
dedicated Customer Success Manager  
• Purchase specialized software licenses or analytics tools beyond the Flock 
contract 
• Manage FAA drone certifications independently – Flock handles all FAA 
regulatory services for the DFR program  
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures from scratch – Flock provides SOP 
development and training 
 
What the City does need to provide for the RTIC: 
 
• A designated physical space within the EMPD facility with workstations and 
monitor arrays for analysts 
• Internet connectivity at the RTIC workstations (which EMPD already maintains) 
• Personnel to staff the RTIC, which can be phased in using existing sworn and 
civilian staff on an incremental basis 
 
This cloud-hosted model dramatically reduces the total cost of ownership 
compared to building a comparable in-house capability, and ensures that EMPD 
always operates on the most current, supported version of the Flock platform 
without lifecycle replacement costs.

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OPERATIONAL DATA: JANUARY 2026 FLOCK SAFETY SYSTEM REPORT 
 
The following data from EMPD's January 2026 Flock Safety monthly report 
demonstrates the active, operational value of the existing system – and the baseline 
upon which the proposed expansion would build. 
 
RAVEN (GUNSHOT DETECTION) – JANUARY 2026 
 
System Status: 233 Ravens active and healthy | 20 alerts generated  
 
• 10 confirmed positive gunshot alerts  
• 6 alerts confirmed as fireworks (forwarded to Flock for classifier update)  
• 4 alerts identified as construction sounds (forwarded to Flock for update)  
• 50% confirmed gunshot detection rate – typical for urban environments 
 
Spent Shell Casings Recovered from Positive Alerts: 
 
• (5) 9mm spent shell casings  
• (3) .40 caliber spent shell casings  
• (4) .22 caliber spent shell casings 
 
Note: False positive audio data has been submitted to Flock Safety, which is actively 
pushing a classifier update to the Raven devices to improve accuracy. This is a 
standard and expected part of the system's machine learning refinement process. 
 
FALCON (LPR) – JANUARY 2026 
 
System Status: 29 Falcons active and healthy  
 
• 1 stolen vehicle alert – not yet located (investigation ongoing)  
• 1 stolen license plate alert – not yet located (investigation ongoing) 
 
The January 2026 Falcon data reflect a period of alert activity without immediate 
recovery – a pattern that is expected and common in LPR programs, as suspect 
vehicles often leave the sensor network before officers can respond. The addition of a 
DFR program would directly address this gap: an airborne asset can rapidly search a 
broader geographic area following an LPR hit, dramatically increasing the probability of 
vehicle recovery.

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RECOMMENDATION 
Based on the operational data, technology capabilities, and public safety considerations 
outlined in this summary, the El Mirage Police Department respectfully recommends 
that the City Manager authorize the execution of Flock Safety Quote Q-178086 
(FlockOS Premium with DFR), representing a 36-month total contract value of 
$1,107,000 (before tax), with an estimated Year 1 net cost of approximately $298,631 
after co-term credits.  
 
This investment is justified by: 
 
• The demonstrated operational value of the existing Raven and Falcon systems, 
including direct contribution to the conviction of Devon White and other 
investigations  
• The force multiplication value of the DFR program for a 64-officer department 
with limited patrol coverage per shift  
• The establishment of a cloud-hosted RTIC at minimal infrastructure cost to the 
City  
• The significant discounts negotiated by Flock (-$104,685) substantially reducing 
Year 1 cost  
• The enhanced officer safety, de-escalation capability, and investigative efficiency 
that the DFR and FlockOS Premium will provide  
• The comprehensive nature of the FlockOS Premium platform, which provides 
EMPD with a full-scale crime operations center at a subscription cost that avoids 
multi-million dollar capital outlays 
 
 
"Public safety is an investment in our community's future. The proposed DFR and RTIC 
program positions the El Mirage Police Department to protect every resident with the 
best available tools – and to do so efficiently, transparently, and at the lowest possible 
infrastructure cost to the City."  
 
All quotes expire July 1, 2026. Early execution ensures timely delivery and installation 
prior to the proposed contract start date.