Chula Vista police said Wednesday they’ve paused their proposal to use unmanned drones run by controversial surveillance company Flock.

“As of this time, the city is not moving forward” with Flock’s automated drones, a police department spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the agency will continue to use its current drones “until it can evaluate available technologies and potential alternatives.”

“The pause will also provide additional time for the telepresence marketplace to evolve and for other potential vendors to bring similar telepresence technology and capabilities to the market,” the statement reads in part. “Building and maintaining community trust and support is a top priority for the Chula Vista Police Department and is essential to deliver effective public safety services.”

Back in 2018, Chula Vista became the first city in the U.S. authorized to fly drones beyond the line of sight in response to 911 calls. Since then, police say they’ve responded to more than 22,000 calls for service, launching from the rooftop of police headquarters and arriving before officers, who say the technology gives them critical information from above.

But Chula Vista’s drones have always been operated by pilots – sworn officers – at a cost of about $1.2 million a year, the department says. The department’s current contract for the drone software services expires at the end of 2026, so in January, the agency began searching for unmanned drone options that would cut those staffing costs.

In July, police presented to the city’s Privacy Protection and Technology Advisory Commission their recommendation of Flock.

Flock is best known for its automated license plate readers, the subject of nationwide backlash over concerns about data sharing and mass surveillance.

Privacy advocacy group DeFlock has tracked more than 100 jurisdictions across the country that have deactivated their ALPR cameras or canceled their contract with Flock since the beginning of the year.

“What people don’t necessarily appreciate is the privacy, the civil rights and civil liberties problems that come along with those technologies. And that’s what we really need to guard against,” said Tim Blood, who chairs San Diego’s Privacy Advisory Board.

“You don’t want a drone racing off to a potential crime scene or potential disaster and taking pictures, for example, of everyone’s yards and backyards and through windows as it’s flying over,” Blood said, noting that it’s incumbent on jurisdictions using surveillance to put guardrails on how the technology is used.

Flock declined NBC San Diego’s interview request, as did Chula Vista police.

In their report to the city’s privacy commission in July, police said the contract with Flock would have cost $400,000 in the first year and $700,000 annually for years two through five.

But on Wednesday, police said there is no timeline on the pause in pursuing Flock as the agency continues to monitor and evaluate options for a replacement.

“Everyone should be concerned about privacy, probably more so than a lot of people realize,” Blood said. “Those people who say they have nothing to hide: Well, would you welcome police to come into your house at any time, day or night, and do a search of your house?”