How to Get City Officials Aligned for Your Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program

Launching a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program takes more than just operational readiness—it requires full alignment across municipal leadership. City leaders must grasp not just the technology, but how DFR addresses real public safety needs—while navigating public concerns about surveillance, budget constraints, and accountability.

In this live session, former Chief of Police and County Manager, Phil Gonshak sits down with San Mateo City Manager Alex Khojikian to unpack the real conversations, challenges, and successes behind aligning city government with law enforcement to make DFR a reality.

You’ll get practical insights into how San Mateo’s team built trust—with city leadership, community stakeholders, and internal public safety teams—and cleared the path for DFR adoption—plus tactics you can use to do the same in your city.

What You’ll Learn:

1. How to position DFR beyond just law enforcement
2. What civic leaders need to hear to say yes
3. How to approach budgeting and objections

Whether you're starting a DFR pilot or scaling a program citywide, this session will equip you with the language, strategy, and political insight to move from proposal to greenlight. Bring your questions, we’ll answer them.