Sci-Fi Scenario: Police Use Drones to Monitor Labor Day Parties

A Sci-Fi Inspired Scenario: Police to ⁣Deploy Drones to Spy on Backyard Labor Day Parties

Those attending outdoor​ parties or⁤ barbecues in ⁢New York City this weekend may notice an uninvited guest looming over their festivities: a police surveillance drone.

The New York City police department plans to pilot the unmanned aircraft in response to complaints about⁢ large gatherings, including private events,⁢ over Labor Day weekend,‌ officials announced‍ Thursday.

“If a caller states⁣ there’s ⁢a large crowd, a large party in a backyard, ⁣we’re going to be utilizing our assets to go up and go check on the party,” Kaz Daughtry, the assistant⁢ NYPD commissioner, said⁢ at a news conference.

The plan ‍drew immediate backlash from privacy and civil liberties advocates, raising questions about whether such drone use violated existing laws for police⁢ surveillance.

“It’s a troubling announcement⁤ and it flies in the face of the POST Act,”​ said Daniel Schwarz, a privacy and ⁢technology strategist‍ at the New York Civil ‍Liberties Union, referring to ⁤a 2020 city law that requires the NYPD to disclose its surveillance tactics. “Deploying drones in ⁤this way is a sci-fi inspired scenario.”

The move was announced during a security ⁣briefing focused on J’ouvert, an‍ annual Caribbean festival marking the end of slavery that brings thousands of ‌revelers and​ a heavy⁣ police presence to the streets of Brooklyn.

Daughtry said the drones would respond to⁤ “non-priority‍ and priority calls” beyond the parade route.

Like many cities, New York is increasingly relying on drones for policing purposes. Data maintained ‍by the city ⁢shows the police department has used drones for public safety​ or emergency purposes 124 times this year,⁢ up from just four times in all of 2022. They were spotted in the skies after a ‍parking garage collapse earlier‌ this year and when a giveaway event devolved into teenage mayhem.

Mayor Eric Adams, a former police captain, has said he wants to see police further embrace the “endless” potential of drones, ⁢citing Israel’s use of the technology​ as a blueprint after visiting the country last week.

But as‌ the technology proliferates, privacy advocates say regulations have not ⁢kept‌ up, opening the door to intrusive surveillance that ⁢would be illegal if conducted by a⁣ human police officer.

“One of the biggest concerns ⁤with the rush to roll out new forms of aerial ​surveillance ‍is how few⁢ protections we have against seeing these cameras​ aimed at our backyards or even our bedrooms,” ⁣said ⁤Albert Fox Cahn, the executive director ⁣of the Surveillance Technology Oversight ‌Project.

The NYPD did not respond to an email seeking further information about its drone policies.

In response to a request‌ for comment, a spokesperson for Adams shared ⁢a link⁤ to new ⁤guidelines that make ‌it easier⁢ for ⁢private drone operators‍ to fly⁢ in the city, but which do not address whether the ‍NYPD⁢ has any policies for‌ drone surveillance.

Around 1,400 police departments across the country ⁢are currently using drones in some form, according to a ⁤ recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union. Under federal rules, they are ⁢generally limited to flying within the operator’s line of sight, though many departments have⁣ requested exemptions.

The report predicted the use of drones was “poised to explode” among police ⁣departments.

Cahn, the privacy advocate, said city officials should be more transparent​ with the public ‌about how police are currently using drones,​ with⁤ clear guardrails that prevent surveillance overreach in the future.

“Clearly, flying a drone over a backyard barbecue is a step too ​far for many⁢ New Yorkers,” ⁢Cahn said.

The⁣ Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press⁣ story and may have altered it prior to publication to⁢ ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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