Public-safety update: county reports rising calls, drones and body-cam rules; resident criticizes Hexagon dispatch cost overrun

Unidentified law-enforcement personnel (speaker 16) briefed the Citizens Advisory Board on public-safety trends and technology deployments in the South Truckee Meadows/Washoe Valley area, reporting an uptick in total calls for service and outlining plans for cameras, a real-time crime center and expanded drone operations.

"Total calls for service we had in this area was 3,578 for this last quarter," the presenter reported, saying the figure is significantly up from the three-year average of 2,748. The presenter highlighted an increase in DUI arrests and said one targeted suspect arrest reduced a recent run of store burglaries. The update described staffing and certification constraints for a growing drone program, noting active drones in Sun Valley with plans for Spanish Springs and station-style coverage to reduce response times.

On body-worn cameras, the presenter explained the activation policy: officers are expected to activate body cameras when a contact is likely to escalate toward criminal action; dash cameras are required when dispatched to calls and body cameras should be activated prior to arrival on scene. He also acknowledged battery-life limits for continuous recording and the need to staff operators for the proposed real-time crime center.

Public comment at the meeting focused sharply on the Hexagon dispatch system. Tom Daley, a resident and former CAB member, criticized the Hexagon project’s cost and schedule, saying it was awarded in 2023 with a $7.5 million budget and that he’d been told the current reported budget is $9.4 million with a delayed deliverable. "Million 9 over budget, 10 months late, maybe, and maybe longer," Daley said, and asked where accountability lies given its potential effect on emergency response times (he recounted a REMSA response time of about 17½ minutes for his medical emergency).

County Manager Kate Thomas addressed overall budget pressures in a later presentation, saying the county has a large organization and is taking an internal approach to accountability and efficiency. Thomas highlighted a recent salary study that placed Washoe County salaries in the middle of comparable West Coast jurisdictions and said the county intends to "hold the line" on growth while exploring efficiencies, including a localized AI tool for staff reporting.

No formal action was taken on the Hexagon procurement or contract at the meeting; Tom Daley’s public comment requested commissioner and manager-level accountability and a clear accounting of contract costs and timelines. CAB members and attendees asked follow-up questions about drone coverage, privacy protections, and interagency coordination with Reno and Sparks police departments.

The CAB did not take votes on technology procurements at this meeting; staff invited residents to follow-up meetings and to contact county staff for more detailed contract and procurement information.