UCLA Cops Stockpile Drones And Less-Lethal Munitions For ‘Emergency Incidents’

Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness,

The UCLA Police Department (UCPD) spent more than $220,000 on drones and less-than-lethal munitions in 2025 and is now seeking approval to expand its inventory further.

An Oct. 19 military equipment report reveals that UCPD bought three Skydio X10s under a 10-year contract at a cost of $21,654 annually for the drones and their docking stations.

According to the Daily Bruin, the drones are part of UCPD’s new Drone as First Responder program.

Richard Mejia, director of emergency communications and information for the Office of Campus and Community Safety, said in an emailed statement that the program aims to “improve situational awareness, reduce response times and provide valuable video evidence during emergency incidents.”

According to UCPD’s report, the $220k expenditure covered a variety of specialized security equipment including drones, less-than-lethal munitions such as 40 millimeter sponge rounds and projectile launchers as well as long-range acoustic devices.

The Daily Bruin reports the department also owns semiautomatic patrol rifles but categorizes them as “standard issue service weapons” rather than military equipment, per the report.

The Skydio X10, launched in Sept. 2023, is a quadcopter with a folding design which, according to the manufacturer, can be made flight-ready from a backpack in 40 seconds.

UCPD purchased 120 40 mm munitions in 2025 and owns 3,117 less-than-lethal munitions in total and the department is requesting 1,950 additional PepperBall rounds and 50 more 40 mm projectiles, according to the report.

The report states:

All additional equipment is necessary to support the department’s growth and expansion due to UCLA’s acquisition/construction of additional University-owned housing, medical, and administrative properties, as well as in preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

According to the report, which must be published and submitted to the UC Board of Regents annually, UCPD did not use its military equipment outside of training purposes in 2025.

The most recent disclosure has fueled significant debate across the University of California system.

EdSource reports that faculty groups, student organizations, and civil liberties advocates have expressed deep concerns over the “militarization” of campus security, arguing that these stockpiles could be used to suppress peaceful student protests rather than protect the community.

UCLA professor Michael Chwe launched a petition that has gathered hundreds of campus signatures demanding that police stop using 40mm launchers altogether, according to the NY Post.

UCLA stockpiles huge arsenal of drones, ammo for emergencies https://t.co/JeflZMXiBK https://t.co/Uo4VxqeyDd

— New York Post (@nypost) November 3, 2026