Backlash after $2.2M police drone grant submitted without Council approval

July 29, 2026

Detroit City Council discovered that city officials had submitted a $2. 2 million federal grant application for a police drone program without obtaining required council approval, violating city code. The Justice Department grant would fund a "drone as first responder" program to handle low-risk calls, but the application was rushed to meet a June 10 deadline without notifying council members beforehand.

Who is affected

Detroit City Council members (specifically Council President Tate, Gabriela Santiago-Romero, Scott Benson, Coleman A. Young II, Latisha Johnson, and Denzel McCampbell)
Detroit Police Department and Deputy Police Chief Mark Bliss
Board of Police Commissioners
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison
Terri Daniels (head of Office of Development and Grants)
Detroit Chief Financial Officer Tanya Stoudemire
David Whitaker (council's attorney/Legislative Policy Division head)
Detroit residents who would be subject to drone surveillance

What action is being taken

The draft drone use policy is being reviewed by the Board of Police Commissioners
City officials are determining whether to withdraw the grant application or find a path forward
The police department is "talking internally" about next steps

Why it matters

This situation matters because it represents a significant breach of municipal governance procedures and checks-and-balances systems designed to ensure council oversight of city operations. The issue raises concerns about potential expansion of police surveillance technology without proper policy frameworks, public input, or democratic accountability. The procedural violation undermines trust between the executive and legislative branches of city government and highlights tensions over police technology adoption amid national concerns about law enforcement abuse of surveillance tools.

What's next

DPD expects to gain Board of Police Commissioners approval for the drone policy in the coming weeks
If approved by BOPC, the policy would then require approval from Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison
City officials are determining whether to withdraw the grant application or pursue an alternative path forward
The police department will be discussing next steps internally following the council's rejection

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com