Joint Statement of Support for One-Time Funding for Drone Trade & Replacement Grant Funding
January 28, 2026
The Honorable David Reid
Chairman
Appropriations Transportation & Public Safety Subcommittee
The Honorable Adam Ebbin
Chairman
Finance Public Safety & Claims Subcommittee
Re: Support for One-Time Funding for Drone Trade & Replacement Grant Funding
Item 394 #13s (Perry)
Item 394 #4h (Krizek)
Dear Chairman Ebbin & Chairman Reid,
On behalf of Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation, Virginia First Cities, Virginia Ambulance Association, Virginia Association of First Responders and the Virginia Association of Counties, we are writing to ask for your support of budget item 394 #13s (Perry) and item 394 #4h (Krizek).
These budget items provide one-time funding for a drone trade and replace grant program under the Department of Criminal Justice Service (DCJS) for local law enforcement, local fire or ambulance service providers or other local first responders who are seeking to relinquish a drone made by a foreign adversary in trade for a drone in compliance with federal law.
The Virginia 2025 Appropriations Act provided $1M in one-time funding for this program. However, due to the oversubscription of the program ( DCJS received $1.6M in grant applications and awarded grants totaling $998K) and “the limited availability of funds, not all meritorious applications could be supported.”
The budget items prioritizes grant funding to go to qualified 2025 applicants who did not receive funding, followed by new applicants.
Given the federal government’s December 22, 2025 prohibition on the purchase and use of new drones and drone components made in a foreign country, local law enforcement and other first responders need even greater assistance as they make the transition to drones made in the United States.
We ask for your support of these budget amendments.
Sincerely,
Dana Schrad
Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation
Kelly Harris Braxton
Virginia First Cities
Jeremy Bennett
Virginia Association of Counties
Ed Rhodes
Virginia Ambulance Association &
Virginia Association of First Responders