HOOVER, Ala. – On Monday, the Hoover City Council is set to consider a $6.75 million, five‑year contract that would expand the city’s police drone fleet and provide unlimited storage for body‑camera footage. Police Chief Clay Morris highlighted the public‑safety benefits, noting that the upgrades will allow faster response times and preserve critical video evidence for the community.
Expanded drone coverage
Currently, the department operates two first‑responder drones stationed at Hoover City Hall and the Finley Center. The proposed contract with Axon Enterprise would add two additional drones—one along the U.S. 280 corridor and another in the city’s southern sector—bringing the total to four. Morris explained that the four‑drone network would cover roughly 70 % of Hoover’s city limits, allowing the drones to reach crime scenes or vehicle accidents within a three‑mile radius of their bases, often faster than ground units hampered by traffic.
Unlimited body‑camera video storage
The new agreement also includes unlimited digital storage for body‑camera recordings. Under the existing contract, the department must periodically delete footage due to limited capacity. Morris said retaining all video will “serve as a huge plus and protect both the public and officers,” providing a transparent record of police interactions.
Cost comparison
The current contract costs $650,000 for a five‑year period. The proposed upgrade represents a ten‑fold increase, bringing the total to $6.75 million. Council members will weigh the long‑term safety advantages against the higher expense during the Monday meeting.
Other agenda items
In addition to the police contract, the council’s agenda includes several other local projects:
- An $804,222 contract with Coston General Contractors to build a new Hoover Lake House beside City Hall.
- A five‑year lease renewal with Harden Properties for the Bluff Park substation.
- A change order for the National Computer Forensics Institute addition.
- An annexation request for a .14‑acre parcel at 1526 Kestwick Drive, to be zoned as an E‑2 single‑family residential estate district.
- Resolutions declaring properties at 2108 Kelly Lane and 2212 Rocky Ridge Road public nuisances due to overgrown weeds and grass.
- Licenses for Crazy Cajuns (125 Inverness Plaza) and Umi Sushi Poke (2539 John Hawkins Parkway) to sell alcoholic beverages.
- An agreement to pay $15,700 to the Miss Hoover Foundation for its Miss Hoover and Miss Hoover Teen programs.
- An emergency declaration to replace the No. 1 force sewer main in the Riverchase system after serious problems were identified.
- First readings of five ordinances, including the annexation of 2813 Berkeley Drive and four amendments to the city’s business‑license code covering insurance‑company licensing, issuance fees, and payment of city licenses tied to real‑property rentals and leases.
The council will convene at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, at Hoover City Hall, 100 Municipal Lane.
Original reporting: Hoover Sun — read the source article.
