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Flores, Dora From:Aaron Saliba <aaron.saliba@hotelzessa.com> Sent:Tuesday, February 3, 2026 1:55 PM To:eComment Subject:Support for Agenda Item #15 – SAPD Drone Program Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links. Dear Mayor and Members of the Santa Ana City Council, On behalf of the Santa Ana hotel community, I am writing to express strong support for Agenda Item #15 regarding the Santa Ana Police Department’s request for approval to utilize budgeted funds for the purchase of two drones. We appreciate the recent information shared by SAPD highlighting the continued decrease in crime citywide. These efforts are essential to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for residents, workers, and visitors alike. As hoteliers, public safety is directly tied to the success of our businesses and to Santa Ana’s reputation as a destination. SAPD has identified approximately $275,000 already allocated in its budget for two drones, pending Council approval. These tools would allow officers to assess situations in real time, prioritize calls more accurately, and expand department services without immediately deploying personnel to every incident. While certain calls—such as vehicle break-ins—may appear lower priority, when they occur on hotel property they have an outsized impact on visitors’ perception of Santa Ana. Even a single negative experience can discourage repeat visitation, which ultimately affects Hotel Visitor Tax revenue that helps fund public safety and other vital city services. My team is constantly trying to win business from neighboring cities – having a reputation as a safe city is very important in these efforts. I believe that the drone program will greatly enhance the SAPD’s effectiveness and help make our city a safer place for residents and visitors alike. It is also important to note that Santa Ana is currently the only city in Orange County without a drone program for its police department. Approving this request would bring our city in line with neighboring jurisdictions and provide SAPD with modern tools that enhance efficiency, officer safety, and community confidence. We respectfully urge the City Council to approve Agenda Item #15 and allow SAPD to move forward with this important investment in public safety. Sincerely, Aaron Saliba | General Manager Hotel Zessa, a DoubleTree by Hilton™ Formerly DoubleTree by Hilton Santa Ana Orange County Airport direct: 714.442.1908 | hotel: 714.825.3333 | fax: 714.825.3320 aaron.saliba@hotelzessa.com 201 E. MacArthur Blvd. Santa Ana, CA 92707 | hotelzessa.com | @hotelzessa 1