Last Thursday night, Watsonville police received reports of a disturbance at a local school. As the school is considered a victim in this case, its name has been withheld.
Upon arrival, WPD officers found a 35-year-old Salinas man, Jerry Garcia, attempting to hide on school grounds. WPD deployed a drone with a thermal camera to find Garcia, recording him as he ran through a garden and hopped a fence before he was met by police. The footage was made public in a social media post by police.
Officers found and arrested him within minutes. During the investigation, they also found damage to a school vehicle, broken flowerpots and damaged plants in the school garden. He was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on multiple charges including vandalism and trespassing.
While Garcia’s exact motives are unknown, he was under the influence of alcohol during the break-in. He has no prior local criminal history and this is his first arrest in Santa Cruz County.
It’s not the first time WPD has used drone technology to aid in complicated arrests. In the past, similar technology has aided WPD with a man with a knife who was slashing tires, the agency said. On another occasion, this technology helped officers locate with a suspect who had broken into a local business.
The Watsonville Police Department will discuss its use of military equipment, including drone technology, at its upcoming Assembly Bill 481 meeting. AB 481 seeks to improve transparency and public oversight of police equipment.
The meeting will take place on Thursday, May 8, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Community Room at the Civic Plaza, on the top floor of 275 Main St. The department will review its 2024 AB 481 report, which is also available online.
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