Key Points
- AJPD presented a technology update to the city council on April 7, 2026.
- The department is building a real-time crime center using Axon’s Fusus platform.
- The Skydio X10 drone program can reach any part of the city in about two minutes.
- 39 Flock Safety license plate reader cameras operate across Apache Junction and Gold Canyon.
- DeDrone by Axon detects unauthorized drones and manned aircraft in real time.
- Apache Junction is one of few Arizona agencies with counter-drone technology.
- Mesa asked AJPD to deploy DeDrone during Turkey’s FIFA World Cup practice sessions.
- Councilmember Soller said Flock targets criminals and missing persons, not the general public.
Apache Junction, AZ – The Apache Junction Police Department presented a technology update to the Apache Junction City Council on April 7, 2026. Chief Mike Pooley and Lieutenant Wes Kelley outlined new tools now being deployed across the city, including a real-time crime center, drone-as-first-responder program, license plate readers, and counter-drone technology.
Real-Time Crime Center Gives Officers Instant Situational Awareness
The department has partnered with Axon to build a real-time crime center at AJPD headquarters. Axon is best known for developing tasers and body-worn cameras. The platform powering it is called Fusus. It allows commanders to access camera feeds across the city during active incidents and relay live information to responding officers.
Pooley said the system will be ready for council to tour once it is up and running. He noted that Mesa Police Department uses a comparable system to fight crime, respond to incidents, and provide accurate, timely information to officers.
Apache Junction Police Drones Reach Scenes in Half the Time
Lieutenant Wes Kelley leads the Patrol Division and SWAT Team and has taken on a technology oversight role for the department. He explained that traffic conditions, particularly during winter months, slow officers to an average response time of about four minutes. Kelley said the Skydio X10 drone, dispatched as a first responder, can reach any part of the city within an average of about two minutes, according to his estimate.
The Skydio X10 drone program is part of the real-time crime center. Skydio has partnered with Axon to develop the technology. The department’s presentation defined Drone as a First Responder as a public safety program in which unmanned aerial systems are dispatched immediately to emergency calls to provide real-time aerial intelligence.
Before officers arrive, commanders can view the scene from above. They can assess injuries, determine whether to shut down roads, and pass intelligence to both police and fire units. “It gives us real-time intelligence, and it allows us to make better decisions, which benefits everybody in the community,” Kelley said.
Chief Pooley described the technology as a force multiplier, a term reflecting how it extends the department’s capacity. “With the staffing that we have, it does enhance our abilities and our capabilities,” he said. “Our response times are going to be lower and faster.”
Kelley added: “This technology is the future of law enforcement and public safety, not only for police departments, but for fire and medical. First responders are using this technology to make better, faster, quicker decisions that not only keep our people safe, but keep the citizens safe.”
License Plate Readers Track Stolen Vehicles, Support Investigations
A department presentation showed 39 license plate reader cameras in and around Apache Junction and Gold Canyon, using the Flock Safety platform.
Lieutenant Kelley shared a recent example involving Mesa. Mesa’s real-time crime center identified a burglar who stole $10,000 guitars from several businesses. That information was shared with Apache Junction, which fed it into the Flock system. An AJPD team located the vehicle, made a stop and an arrest, and transferred the suspect to Mesa police.
Chief Pooley said the department shares data with agencies across the valley and throughout Arizona. “We could tell you countless stories of recovered stolen vehicles, burglaries that have been solved, hit and runs that have happened where we’ve been able to follow up with leads and take people into custody,” he said.
DeDrone Technology Detects Unauthorized Aircraft Over Apache Junction
DeDrone by Axon is a counter-drone system that allows AJPD to detect unauthorized drones in real time. “This technology was created to allow our drone team to actually be able to pick up on a computer when a nefarious drone is in the air,” Kelley said. “When I say nefarious, somebody who’s not following the rules of the FAA.” When such a drone enters the area, operators receive an immediate alert on screen.
Kelley described the system’s strategic positioning: “This is a defensive play, if you will, but it allows us to actually be on the offensive, because we can see what’s in the sky.” He said most people use drones for recreation or professional purposes. “The bad actors are not only over in the other side of the world, they’re also bad actors in the United States,” he said.
DeDrone also includes a second sensor that tracks military and medical flights passing over the city. Operators receive approximately 23 seconds of advance notice to move department drones clear of the flight path. Kelley said the capability addresses a growing challenge: “As we grow and as technology grows, it’s also gonna be a mess. So this allows us to get ahead of it, and we’re very thankful we have this technology.”
Chief Pooley noted the department’s position in the region. “We’re one of the few agencies in the state of Arizona that has this right now,” he said.
Mesa Requests DeDrone Support for Turkey’s FIFA World Cup Practice
Chief Pooley told the council that Mesa Police Department reached out to AJPD about using the DeDrone technology during the upcoming FIFA World Cup, given that Turkey’s national team will be practicing at Legacy Park in Mesa ahead of the tournament.
Chief Pooley noted that while drone flight is generally legal, flying over people or crowds is illegal under FAA rules without appropriate certification. He pointed to the rodeo as an example. During a rodeo in Apache Junction, someone flew a drone from approximately two miles away and piloted it directly over the crowd. “We were able to identify exactly where that individual was and talk to them and educate them, and we did cite them,” Pooley said.
Councilmember Bryan Soller: Flock Targets Criminals, Not the Public
At the close of the presentation, Councilmember Bryan Soller addressed online claims about the Flock license plate reader system. Soller said he has direct familiarity with these systems through his work in Mesa.
“Big Brother is not spying on everybody that drives down the road,” he said. “They’re looking for specific criminal or missing person activity.” Officers set specific criteria, such as stolen plates, criminal activity, or missing persons, and the system flags only those matches. “We don’t have the manpower to go and check every plate that gets run,” Soller said.
Soller also commented on the real-time crime center and drones. Soller said camera tracking allows officers to follow suspects without engaging in vehicle pursuits, reducing the risk of accidents involving other drivers. He added that drone deployment allows commanders to see situations before officers arrive.
“These are all really good, technology-driven, for public safety and the safety of our community,” Soller said.
Additional Equipment and Training Enhancements
Pooley said the department received a mobile command van at the end of last year. It has already been deployed to critical incidents and large community events. A department slide noted a TASER 10 rollout in March 2026. Pooley said the new devices are issued to officers, park rangers, and community service officers in detention.
The department also expanded its training capabilities. Virtual reality systems are now in use, alongside the VirTra simulation platform, for ongoing monthly training.
AJPD tracks community satisfaction through SpiderTech surveys. Pooley said callers to 911 or the non-emergency line will oftentimes receive a survey about their encounter. In 2025, the department scored above the average of all agencies surveyed across all three base metrics: overall department satisfaction, officer satisfaction, and communications satisfaction.
